We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

How to filter in SF:

First, go through the document that has been shared regarding the Opportunities filtering in SF. If you have already created the view then edit it with the above-mentioned occupation or else follow as per the document or below.

The following is the process to pull the clients with any particular occupation, who are impacted due to changes in the lists of any state(s):

Go to Opportunities section of SF

Enter any view name – it’s like a file name

Specify the filter criteria –

If you want to view the complete details of your team then click on – All opportunities

if you want to view only your own opportunities then select – My opportunities

Filter by additional fields

Sep 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

234212 Food Technologist- Low Availability -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

Sep 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

234212 Food Technologist- Low Availability -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

Queensland land has announced that 10 September 2019 was the last date BSMQ was able to nominate for the 489 visa.

All 489 applications in the system have now been closed.

If you did not receive a nomination on or before 10 September you will need to submit a NEW EOI for the 491 visa after 16 November 2019 when this visa commences. The skilled program remains closed until this date.

BSMQ will start processing EOI’s for 190 visa applications which were submitted from 29 July – 30 July 5 pm AEST from 11 September 2019.

Please do not amend your 190 EOI until you receive an invitation as doing so will take you out of the queue.

Sometimes their invitations go to junk mail, so please ensure you are regularly checking your junk mail for any correspondence from them.

Please do not email or call them in regards to your application as this significantly slows down processing times.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 or 489 or 491 subclass.

Sep 12th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Systems Maintenance

The DHA website will be unavailable due to maintenance between 2 pm Saturday 14 September and 9 am Sunday 15 September 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

Sep 12th, 2019:

Department Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* midnight and 4a m on Monday 16 September 2019 AEST

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

Sep 11th, 2019:

Clients whose EOIs submitted for subclass 489 are receiving correspondence from skill select stating that the “EOI has changed in eligibility” and all these are moved to drafts.

There is no option of 489 in the EOI application as the department is going to replace this with subclass 491.

Need to submit an EOI for the new Subclass 491 visa from 16 November 2019.

15 November 2019 – LAST day for people who have been invited to apply for a subclass 489 visa to lodge a subclass 489 visa application.

From 16 November 2019 – Intending migrants can lodge an EOI for the subclass 491 visa. State and territory governments can nominate and invitations are able to be issued to an intending migrant for a subclass 491 visa. Visa applications can be lodged for the subclass 491 visa for intending migrants issued with an invitation to apply.

It is important to note that throughout this period nominations, invitations, EOIs, and applications are NOT affected for the 189 or 190 visa subclasses.

Please do not amend your 190 EOI until you receive an invitation as doing so will take you out of the queue.

Sep 07th, 2019:

Please note the updates in state occupations list as of today – South Australia

Current Status of the occupation(s):

234611 Medical Laboratory Scientist; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019;

252711 Audiologist; 3 years’ work experience in the field; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019;

311412 Earth Science Technician; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019

Sep 07th, 2019:

Please find below the update from Western Australia state.

The Department of Home Affairs (‘Home Affairs’) has announced a new Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) to replace the current Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).

The new subclass 491 visa (‘491 visa’) will commence on 16 November 2019, and the subclass 489 visa (‘489 visa’) will cease at 11.59 pm on 15 November 2019.

In order to support the transition from the 489 visa to the new 491 visa, WA Migration Services has established the below timeline to ensure adequate processing of applications. If you would like to receive WA State nomination under a 489 visa you will need to ensure you meet the dates outlined below.

During this time all WA State nomination applications under a 489 visa will be priority processed.

Note: The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is not affected by this change and WA Migration Services will continue to issue invitations and process applications under this subclass as per normal.

Timeline of Transitional arrangements:

9-Aug-19

Invitations to apply for WA State nomination will be issued. This will be your last opportunity to be invited to apply for WA State nomination under a 489 visa.

29-Aug-19

A decision ready application for WA State nomination under a 489 visa must be lodged. Any extra supporting evidence requested by WA Migration Services must also be submitted by this date.

30-Aug-19

Invitation links to apply for WA State nomination under a 489 visa will expire.

5-Sep-19

If your 489 WA State nomination application has been approved, your State Nomination Agreement must be signed and returned to WA Migration Services by this date.

6-Sep-19

WA Migration Services will finalize all nominations for approved applications in Skill Select.

11-Sep-19

The 489 visa will no longer be an option available in Skill Select. No new EOIs can be lodged under this visa subclass.

15-Nov-19

Applicants will have until 11.59 pm to lodge a 489 visa application with Home Affairs.

16-Nov-19

Candidates can commence lodging new EOIs in Skill Select for the 491 visa option.

21-Nov-19

Invitations to apply for WA State nomination under the new 491 visa will commence.

Sep 6th, 2019:

The Department of Home Affairs has announced the 10th of September 2019 as the last day for state and territory governments to nominate and invite applicants for the subclass 489 visa.

In response to the announcement, the Tasmanian Government will progressively close its subclass 489 Skilled Regional state nomination program to new applications in the following order:

Due to the large volume of nomination applications we have received, we cannot guarantee all lodged 489 applications will be assessed before the Department of Home Affairs’ closure date on 10th of September 2019.

If your application is not finalized by the 10th of September 2019 by the Tasmanian Government and you do not receive an invitation from Home Affairs your application will no longer be able to be processed and therefore closed. Eligible skilled migrants can then apply for visa state nomination of the new subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa from the 16th November 2019.

Nomination requirements for the new visa program will be published on the Migration Tasmania website in due course. We recommend that you seek migration advice regarding your options.

We will prioritize applications lodged by skilled migrants currently living in Tasmania and/or working for Tasmanian businesses.

Due to the current focus on processing subclass 489 applications, we regret to advise that the processing times for subclass 190 applications may be extended during this period.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place on 02/09/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

CANBERRA MATRIX – INVITATION ROUND

Invitation date: 2 September 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 111

Matrix score range: All Matrixes submitted with 130 to 70 points

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

Invitation date: 15 August 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 152

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 130 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 29 June 2019

Invitation date: 30 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 320

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 130 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 28 June 2019

Invitation date:22 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 329

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 15 June 2019

Invitation date: 5 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 194

Matrix score range:

All Matrixes submitted with 125 to 75 points

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on or before 18th September 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 subclass.

September 03rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

In case of skills assessment with VETASSESS under a Trade Occupation, please go through the Fact Sheet as a part of your Strategy Report preparation for the new clients.

Further in the case of existing clients, please refer to the Fact Sheet available on the VETASSESS website while preparing the documents and filing for skills assessment.

This exercise should be conducted without fail while preparing the Strategy Report and filing for skills assessment by everyone.

August 29th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

135199 -ICT Managers nec- Low Availability- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; See additional instructions; 75 points required; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -ACS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

August 29th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

135199 -ICT Managers nec- Low Availability- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; See additional instructions; 75 points required; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -ACS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

August 29th, 2019:

Current State Sponsorship Status:

The following is the State Sponsorship status as on today:

The below states are OPEN for both 190 & 489 subclass nominations:

Western Australia (offer required)

Victoria – Will close for 489 subclass on 5th September 2019

Northern Territory – In case of 489 subclass for offshore applicants it will close on 30 August 2019, onshore applicants – close on 6 September 2019

The below states are CLOSED for 489 subclass nominations and are OPEN for 190 subclass:

South Australia

NSW

ACT – It doesn’t sponsor for 489 subclass

Tasmania

The below states are CLOSED for both 190 & 489 subclasses as of now:

Queensland

On 16 November 2019: Subclass 491 visa program opens. Applicants can lodge an EOI for subclass 491 visa through the SkillSelect system.

August 27th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

233612- Petroleum Engineer -Special Conditions Apply -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); 3 years’ work experience in the field; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia Engineers- Australia

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

August 27th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* 5 am and 8 am Wednesday 28th August 2019 AEST

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

August 26th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

234511- Life Scientist (General) -Special Conditions Apply -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

Engineers Australia has announced that it is committed to protecting the privacy and security of the applicant’s personal information, so has updated the Appointment Migration Agent form.

By signing the Appointment Migration Agent form, the applicant authorizes and consents to Engineers Australia processing, collecting, using and disclosing personal information provided by the migration agent for the assessment purpose.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

August 24th, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/08/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/08/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also, find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

OCCUPATION CEILINGS Released for the year 2019-20: Please go through the attached document for the new Occupation Ceilings for the year 2019-20.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

Murray Regional Authority has announced that the applications for 489 nominations will be closed on Friday 23 August 2019 at 5:00 pm (AEST).

Applicants have until 5:00 pm (AEST) Friday 23 August 2019 to make applications for 489 nominations for the Murray region.

Any applications received after the above cut off time and date will not be assessed.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Murray under 489 subclass.

August 22nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

234511 -Life Scientist (General) -Low Availability -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019; Only available to applicants currently residing in South Australia -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE:

In the case of South Australia, we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Currently, South Australia is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

August 20th, 2019:

Current State Sponsorship Status:

The following is the State Sponsorship status as on today:

The below states are OPEN for both 190 & 489 subclass nominations:

Western Australia (offer required)

Victoria – Will close for 489 subclass on 5th September 2019

Northern Territory – In case of 489 subclass for offshore applicants it will close on 30 August 2019, onshore applicants – close on 6 September 2019

The below states are CLOSED for 489 subclass nominations and are OPEN for 190 subclass:

South Australia

NSW – In case of 489 subclass, except Murray Region all the other regions are closed. Murray will close this Friday.

ACT – It doesn’t sponsor for 489 subclass

Tasmania

The below states are CLOSED for both 190 & 489 subclasses as of now:

Queensland – they will reopen the 190 subclass shortly

On 16 November 2019: Subclass 491 visa program opens. Applicants can lodge an EOI for subclass 491 visa through the SkillSelect system

August 20th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

132511 -Research and Development Manager- Low Availability- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019 -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

NT State Authorities have announced that Migration NT will stop accepting subclass 489 visa nomination applications in the following order:

Offshore applicants – close of business on 30 August 2019

Onshore applicants – close of business on 6 September 2019

NOTE: 10 September 2019: last day to issue nomination for subclass 489. If your application is not finalized by 10 September 2019, Migration NT will contact the applicant after this date

On 16 November 2019:

Subclass 491 visa program opens

Applicants can lodge an expression of interest for subclass 491 visa through the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect system

Subclass 491 nomination applications can be lodged through the Migration NT online application.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NT under 489 subclass.

August 20th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* 2pm and 3pm Saturday 24th August 2019 AEST

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

August 19th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

252711- Audiologist -Low Availability -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- 3 years’ work experience in the field; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 14/08/2019 -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 subclass.

August 16th, 2019:

Provincial immigration streams target candidates with work experience in a specific occupation some of which are linked to the Express Entry system.

Many operate on an Expression of Interest system, which requires all candidates — including Express Entry candidates — to register a profile with the provincial nominee program.

Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points towards their CRS score, effectively guaranteeing an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.

Alberta has issued 4821 Notification of Interests to Express Entry candidates with CRS scores as low as 303 to apply for provincial nomination.

Eligibility criteria:

Must have an active profile in Express Entry Pool

Intend to and be able to live and work in Alberta

Must be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development

Have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300.

There are no fees to submit an application

Upon getting a notification, the application must be submitted in 30 days to Alberta Immigration office.

Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP):

SINP is currently accepting applications under, International Skilled Worker sub-categories of Occupations in Demand and Express Entry. To file EOI for SINP, basic eligibility criteria is applicant must score 60 points on SINP’s assessment grid and NOC/occupation must be listed in the SINP demand list.
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/moving-to-saskatchewan/immigrating-to-saskatchewan/saskatchewan-immigrant-nominee-program/applicants-international-skilled-workers/sinp-in-demand-occupation-list

Upon receiving an invitation the applicant will be asked to submit required documents and fees to SINP.

Prince Edward Island (PEI):

PEI is open for applicants who have an existing active profile under express entry.
PEI issues invitations in regular intervals to applicants in Express Entry pool, upon getting invited applicants can apply to PEI’s provincial nominee program, for a nomination for Canadian permanent residence.

Manitoba:

Interested applicants must meet the eligibility criteria of 60 points and also demonstrate a strong connection in Manitoba. This connection can be a friend or close relative, staying in Manitoba on a permanent resident or citizenship status for at least one year/previous work experience of 6 months in Manitoba/Completed education post-secondary program in Canada/ Regional Immigration/Invitation to apply received from the MPNP as part of a recruitment mission or exploratory visit.

PNP With Job Offers

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program has a range of streams targeting foreign nationals with specific skills and experience, applicants applying under all the streams mentioned below must have a Job Offer.

Critical Impact Worker Stream

Skilled Worker Stream

Express Entry Skilled Worker Stream

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP):

The Newfoundland Express Entry Skilled Worker stream is a key component of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program. Applicants applying for this category must have a job offer from Newfoundland and Labrador.

British Columbia:

To apply for Provincial nomination under the BC PNPs various categories mentioned below a job offer is required.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,15/08/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

CANBERRA MATRIX – INVITATION ROUND

Invitation date: 15 August 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 152

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 130 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 29 June 2019

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

1) Invitation date: 30 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 320

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 130 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 28 June 2019

2) Invitation date: 22 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 329

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 15 June 2019

3) Invitation date: 5 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 194

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 75 points

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on or before 2nd September 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for State Sponsorship with ACT under 190 subclass.

Southern Inland has announced that due to an extremely high number of 489 applications, they have suspended applications for the 489 visa in this region.

They will cease assessing EOIs at 5 pm on Friday 16 August, if you have not received an invitation to the full application by this time, you will not receive an invitation in the 489 Visa program.

They will reopen applications for 491 Sponsorship once the 491 Visa program commences.

If you are successful in gaining an Invitation to Full Application, please provide all documentation to RDASI Office by the 28th of August. Any applications received past this date will not be assessed.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Southern Inland under 489 subclass.

—–

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* midnight and 4 am on Monday 19 August 2019 AEST

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

August 14th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure of nominations for 489 subclass

South Australia has announced that as of 14 August 2019 at 11 am, Immigration SA is no longer accepting state nomination applications for the 489 visa.

State nomination applications for the 190 visa can continue to be submitted. A new Skilled Worker Regional (Provisional 491) visa will be introduced on 16 November 2019 and this will replace the 489 visa.

As a result of this few of the occupations are closed for nomination currently as they were eligible for only 489 subclass nominations.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

August 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

August 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure of sponsorship under 489 subclass effective 14th August 2019

South Australia has announced that due to the high volume of applications, Immigration SA will stop accepting state nomination applications for the subclass 489 visa at 11 am on 14 August 2019. All applications that have been saved but not submitted (including applications which have been ‘submitted but not paid’) will be deleted at 11 am on this date.

Please ensure applications are decision-ready with all required documents attached. If a decision has not been made on your subclass 489 state nomination application by 10 September, Immigration SA will contact the applicant after this date.

State nomination applications for the Skilled Nominated 190 visa can continue to be submitted and will be processed once the subclass 489 applications are finalized and this will most likely be after 10 September 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for State Sponsorship with South Australia under 489 subclass.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure of sponsorship under 489 subclass effective 14th August 2019

South Australia has announced that due to the high volume of applications, Immigration SA will stop accepting state nomination applications for the subclass 489 visa at 11 am on 14 August 2019. All applications that have been saved but not submitted (including applications which have been ‘submitted but not paid’) will be deleted at 11 am on this date.

Please ensure applications are decision-ready with all required documents attached. If a decision has not been made on your subclass 489 state nomination application by 10 September, Immigration SA will contact the applicant after this date.

State nomination applications for the Skilled Nominated 190 visa can continue to be submitted and will be processed once the subclass 489 applications are finalized and this will most likely be after 10 September 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for State Sponsorship with South Australia under 489 subclass.

NSW-489 subclass Northern Inland Regional Sponsorship Update: Applications Are Now Open For Some Occupations

Northern Inland which is one of the regional authority participating in NSW-489 subclass has announced that the applications for few of the occupations relating to Agriculture, Health (excluding nurses), Education and Metal, Building and Automotive Trades are currently being accepted.

The following are the POPULAR occupations that are available currently:

Secondary School Teacher 241411

Metal Fabricator 322311

Fitter (General) 323211

Fitter & Turner 323212

Metal Machinist (First Class) 323214

Electrician (General) 341111

A/C & Refrigeration Mechanic 342111

Plumber (General) 334111

Cabinet Maker 394111

Automotive Electrician 321111

Diesel Motor Mechanic 321212

Carpenter 331212

NOTE: If the occupation is held in the list, if the applicant is meeting the requirements we can directly apply. There is NO separate Expression of Interest process for this Regional Authority.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Northern Inland under 489 subclass.

August 09th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 or 489 subclass.

Mid North Coast has announced that due to a high volume of EOI’S Expressions of Interest for the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (489) program on the NSW Mid North Coast is closed at 11.59pm ESDT on Thursday 8 August 2019.

EOIs received after 11:59 pm Thursday 8 August 2019 will not be processed or accepted.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW – Mid North Coast under 489 sub class.

Central West has announced that Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 489) Central West nominations are currently closed again due to the high number of registrations they have received.

At this time they are unable to advise when nominations will reopen.

If already submitted registration it will be assessed and RDACW will provide an email notification to individuals and Migration Agents if the ‘Registration of Interest’ was not successful on this occasion.

If successful will receive an Invitation to apply.

How to apply:

It is a 2 stage process

Step One – Registration of Interest and received an emailed Invitation to Apply from RDACW.

Step Two – Apply for the nomination process

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Central West under 489 subclass visa.

August 05th, 2019:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Closure of Nomination for 489 subclass

Victoria’s Skilled & Business Migration Program (SBMP) will close to subclass 489 nominations on 5 September 2019 (11.59pm AEST) and will not be accepting any new subclass 489 nomination applications after this time. This will not affect applications already lodged.

SBMP will finalize subclass 489 applications lodged on or before 5 September by 10 September 2019

Applicants who receive an invitation to lodge a subclass 489 visa with the Department of Home Affairs, lodge the visa within 60 days of invitation, as they will be unable to issue with another nomination from 10 September 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 489 subclass.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

August 02nd, 2019:

Western Australia State Sponsorship Update: Next Invitation Round

Western Australia has announced that Invitations for State nomination are usually issued on the third Thursday of each month. This will be brought forward by one week in August due to the transition from visa 489 to 491. Invitations are anticipated to be issued by 9 August 2019.

August 02nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for State Sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

Far South Coast which is one of the Regional Authority participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has announced that applications time-stamped by their email server as received between 12.01am 01.08.2019 and 12noon 02.08.2019will be accepted and processed. Applications received outside of this time frame will be ineligible.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Far South Coast under 489 subclass.

Orana which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has announced that from 2/8/19 as of 10:00 am until further notice RDA Orana will be opening applications for the following occupations ONLY:

Secondary School Teacher – 241411

Registered Nurse (Aged Care) – 254412

Registered Nurse (Community Health) – 254414

Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) – 254415

Registered Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation) – 254417

Registered Nurse (Medical) – 254418

Registered Nurse (Paediatric) – 254425

Dentist – 252312

Social Worker – 272511

Community Worker – 411711

Family Support Worker – 411713

If your skilled occupation is not on the above list, but you are currently living and working full time in the Orana region please contact the office at migration@rdaorana.org.au

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Orana under 489 subclass.

Southern Inland which is one of the Regional Authority participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has announced that due to an extremely high number of 489 applications, they are temporarily suspending applications for the 489 visa in this region as of 1st August 2019. They aim to reopen applications by 1st September 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Southern Inland under 489 subclass.

August 01st, 2019:

NSW-190 subclass State Sponsorship Update: Occupations List Amended

NSW State has amended its occupations list for 190 subclass state sponsorship today i.e.,01/08/2019.

Below are the changes to the occupations list:

ANZSCO – Occupation – Availability – Additional Conditions Apply

132211 -Finance Manager -Medium -Yes

For the above occupation earlier there were NO additional conditions were applicable now they want it to be met.

Additional Conditions:

The additional requirement for these occupations is to be living in NSW and to have been employed in NSW for at least one year, in the nominated occupation.

Please find attached the updated list.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for State Sponsorship with NSW under 190 subclass.

Orana which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in the NSW-489 subclass Regional Sponsorship has announced that 1/8/19 as of 12:30 PM (AED) due to a large volume of applications, all EOI occupations have been CLOSED.

They have further stated that if the applicant has genuine full-time employment in the Orana region please contact the office at migration@rdaorana.org.au

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying Regional Sponsorship with NSW Orana Region under 489 subclass.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 31st, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Sponsorship Temporarily Closed

Queensland has announced that due to the unprecedented demand of the skilled program the BSMQ skilled program is temporarily CLOSED.

Expressions of interest (EOI’s) submitted for SkillSelect after 5.00pm AEST 30 July 2019 will not be considered at this time.

EOIs submitted from 29–30 July 2019 (5.00pm AEST) will be accepted and considered over the coming months.

They have further stated that due to this demand, it is unlikely that the subclass 489 program will reopen (for skilled applicants) due to the closure for nominations on 10 September 2019 (to be replaced by the new subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa).

The subclass 190 program will reopen in due course. The BSMQ Business program remains OPEN.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 30th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 or 489 subclass.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,30/07/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

CANBERRA MATRIX – INVITATION ROUND

Invitation date: 30 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 320

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 130 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 28 June 2019

Previous Invitation Rounds Details in this year:

1) Invitation date: 22 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 329

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 15 June 2019

2) Invitation date: 5 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 194

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 75 points

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on or before 15th August 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

July 30th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 or 489 sub class.

July 29th, 2019:

Australia State Sponsorship Status as on 29th July 2019:

The following are the states that have released their lists for the year 2019-20:

1)Australian Capital Territory (ACT)190 subclass only – Opened and it has released its new occupations list effective July 2019. It doesn’t sponsor for 489 subclass.

2) South Australia 190 & 489 subclass – Opened and released its new occupations list effective July 2019. We can directly apply if meeting the requirements.

3) NSW-190 subclass – Opened & currently sponsoring, we need to file an EOI first by selecting NSW as the state.

4) NSW- 489 subclass – The following NSW Regional Authorities which are participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa & released their new lists:

Southern Inland – Currently open & sponsoring

Murray – Currently open & sponsoring

Far South Coast – Opening on 1 August 2019

Orana – May reopen on 1 August 2019

Central West – Opening on 5th August 2019

5) Queensland (QLD) – 190 & 489 subclass – Opened & currently sponsoring, we need to file a NEW EOI first by selecting Queensland as the state.

The following states have NOT yet released their new lists for the year 2019-20:

1) Victoria (VIC) – This state has still not updated its occupation list. There is NO update as of now.

2) Western Australia (WA) – This state has still not updated its occupation list. There is NO update as of now.

3) Northern Territory (NT) – This state has still NOT updated its occupation list. There is NO update as of now.

4) Tasmania – This state has still NOT updated its occupation list. There is NO update as of now.

For the above states, we are following the existing lists as of now.

July 29th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

234411- Geologist- Special Conditions Apply- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months- VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 or 489 subclass.

Should have a points test result of 65 or higher, inclusive of state nomination points

Should have a positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation

Should meet the minimum English language requirement of COMPETENT, unless a higher level is required by your assessing authority (Valid for 3 years)

Should be under 45 years of age

Should have an occupation on the QSOL ‘Offshore’ list

Should have a minimum of 2 years post-qualification work experience in the nominated occupation. More experience may be required for certain occupations. This should be post the qualifications only irrespective of suitability or skilled

Should meet the additional requirements relating to job offers must be related to the occupation and evidence is required showing acceptance of the offer

In case of Engineering and Teaching occupations, offshore applicants should have the registration with the respective Queensland Board

FUNDS REQUIREMENT should be met by both Onshore & Offshore Applicants:

All Applicants are required to complete a Settlement Funds Declaration Form affirming financial capacity.

The amount of cash funds specified on the form should match bank statements.

Bank statements only need to show the current balance (no older than a month) and account holder details (the applicant or partner) and does not need to include the whole transaction history.

The other funds component generally only includes assets that held overseas.

This does not include furniture and clothing. Property in Australia such as a house or car cannot be included in the settlement declaration.

OFFSHORE APPLICANTS:

Mandatory Cash Component of AUD15000 in case of offshore applicants. Further for only one primary applicant – AUD30,000 including the cash component of AUD15000. Further additional AUD5000 for the additional applicant.

ONSHORE APPLICANTS:

Mandatory Cash Component of AUD5000 in case of offshore applicants. Further for only one primary applicant – AUD10,000 including the cash component of AUD5000. Further additional AUD5000 for the additional applicant.

Application Process:

Stage – 1 – Should submit a NEW EOI today only by selecting Queensland as the state. Queensland will go through the EOI & invite through an e-mail to apply.

Stage – 2 – After the receipt of the invitation e-mail, they need to submit the online application with Queensland within 14 days, should provide the following documents and make the payment.

Documents Required for State Sponsorship after the receipt of the e-mail from Queensland (need to apply within 14 days):

State Nomination Application Form (Is available on the website & will also be provided with the invitation e-mail)

Settlement Fund Declaration Form (Is available on the website & will also be provided with the invitation e-mail)

Queensland has announced that the BSMQ SKILLED PROGRAM is now OPEN from today 29 July 2019.

They have announced that before submitting your EOI, please review BSMQ’s new QSOLs to ensure your occupation is on the relevant lists and meet any new criteria.

A NEW EOI with a brand new EOI number must be submitted from today. They are NOT going to pick up Past and/or updated EOI’s.

For ‘Working in Queensland’ Applicants:

Subclass 190 – need to have 6 months of work experience (minimum of 35 hours per week) in Queensland and a 1 year job offer.

Subclass 489 – need to have 3 months LIVING and WORK experience (minimum 35 hours per week) in REGIONAL Queensland and a 1-year job offer.

Important Information – 489 subclass:

BSMQ will open up 489 processing for a limited period only – until mid-August 2019. As DHA is implementing 491 subclass visa from 16 November 2019. 489 applicants will receive priority processing during this period and the time to receive an invitation for the 190 may take longer.

If eligible for the 489 visa, please submit EOI as soon as possible, and have all supporting documents ready to provide to as soon as the invitation is sent from BSMQ.

July 26th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective 26th July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 25th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* 5 am and 8 am Wednesday 31st July 2019 AEST

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective 26th July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 23rd, 2019:

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Update: System Maintenance

Engineers Australia has announced that System Maintenance: MyPortal will not be available on 23rd July 5:00 pm to 23rd July 11:30 pm (AEST).

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

July 23rd, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/07/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/07/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also, find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

OCCUPATION CEILINGS Released for the year 2019-20: Please go through the attached document for the new Occupation Ceilings for the year 2019-20

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective 26th July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclasses.

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective 26th July 2019.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

July 23rd, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Change in Occupation Ceilings for the year 2019-20

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has updated the Occupation Ceilings for the year 2019-20.

The following are the highlights of the changes to ceilings when compared with 2018-19:

2212 -Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers* increased by 210

2247 Management consultant – Increased by 1,375

2321 Architects and Landscape Architects increased by 920

2332 Civil Engineering Professionals increased by 262

2334 Electronics Engineers* increased by 700

2339 Other Engineering Professionals* increased by 300

2415 Special Education Teachers increased by 111

2421 University Lecturers and Tutors increased by 500

2525 Physiotherapists increased by 171

2611 ICT Business and Systems Analysts* increased by 1,121

2613 Software and Applications Programmers* increased by 1,477

2621 Database and Systems Administrators and ICT Security

Specialists increased by 227

2631 Computer Network Professionals* increased by 386

3941 Cabinetmakers increased by 691

3232 Metal Fitters and Machinists increased by 18

Please find attached the comparison document of 2018-19 & 2019-20

July 23rd, 2019:

NSW-190 subclass State Sponsorship Update: Change in the Occupations List

NSW State has amended its occupations list for 190 subclass state sponsorship today i.e.,22/7/2019.

Below are the changes to the occupations list:

ANZSCO – Occupation – Availability – Additional Conditions Apply

261314 -Software Tester -High -Yes

For the above occupation earlier there were NO additional conditions were applicable now they want it to be met.

Additional Conditions:

The additional requirement for these occupations is to be living in NSW, and to have been employed in NSW for at least one year, in the nominated occupation.

July 23rd, 2019:

NSW-190 subclass State Sponsorship Update: Change in the Occupations List

NSW State has amended its occupations list for 190 subclass state sponsorship today i.e.,22/7/2019.

Below are the changes to the occupations list:

ANZSCO – Occupation – Availability – Additional Conditions Apply

261314 -Software Tester -High -Yes

For the above occupation earlier there were NO additional conditions were applicable now they want it to be met.

Additional Conditions:

The additional requirement for these occupations is to be living in NSW, and to have been employed in NSW for at least one year, in the nominated occupation.

Please find attached the updated list.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 190 subclass.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,22/07/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

CANBERRA MATRIX – INVITATION ROUND

Invitation date: 22 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 329

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 70 points

65 point matrix submitted on or before 15 June 2019

Previous Invitation Rounds Details in 2019:

Invitation date: 5 July 2019

Number of Invitations Issued: 194

Matrix score range:

All Matrix submitted with 125 to 75 points

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on or before 7th August 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 subclass.

Northern Inland which is one of the regional authority participating in NSW-489 subclass has announced that the applications for all the occupations are currently not be accepted due to unprecedented demand, applications are closed until further notice.

NO APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER 9:45 AM MONDAY 22 JULY 2019 WILL BE CONSIDERED

July 23rd, 2019:

NSW-489 subclass Central West Regional Sponsorship Update: Occupations List will be released on 5th August 2019

NSW-489 subclass Central West Regional Authority has announced that the new list will be posted by 5th August 2019.

NSW-489 subclass Central West processing dates for Round One will be:

Registration opens on 5th August and will close by 9th August 2019

Full applications will be required within 7 days following an ‘Invitation to Apply’

Central West referrals will close 9th September 2019

How to apply:

Step One – Registration of Interest – an online application form with the information & documents should be submitted & NO fee should be paid. If successful they will notify through e-mail.

Step Two – Invitation to Apply – After the invitation e-mail, need to send application forms & certified documents through an e-mail in a prescribed format to Central West. Should pay processing fee of AUD770.

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (85 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective 26th July 2019.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

South Australia has announced that as of 26 July 2019, applications submitted under the High Points category are required to have 85 points.

They would like to advise prospective applicants and migration agents that once they are close to reaching the ‘high points’ category quota, the minimum points requirement will be automatically increased to 90 points.

Processing Timelines:

Due to the high volume of General Skilled Migration 190/489 state nomination applications and enquiries received in July, they are working hard to process applications and reduce the overall processing times.

They request that you do not submit an enquiry (email or phone) requesting a processing update. If you have submitted an enquiry, please allow 7 business days to receive a response.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

South Australia has announced that as of 26 July 2019, applications submitted under the High Points category are required to have 85 points.

They would like to advise prospective applicants and migration agents that once they are close to reaching the ‘high points’ category quota, the minimum points requirement will be automatically increased to 90 points.

Processing Timelines:

Due to the high volume of General Skilled Migration 190/489 state nomination applications and enquiries received in July, they are working hard to process applications and reduce the overall processing times.

They request that you do not submit an enquiry (email or phone) requesting a processing update.

If you have submitted an enquiry, please allow 7 business days to receive a response.

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

July 23rd, 2019:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: New Application System being launched

On Monday 29 July 2019, Victoria’s Skilled and Business Migration Program will be launching a new and improved application system for visa nomination.

The new system will allow you to:

Track the progress of your application/s

Access your account from multiple devices – from mobile to desktop

Manage client applications with greater ease

What you need to know:

1) If the client has a draft nomination application saved in the system, he/she will need to submit it by 4.00pm on Wednesday 24 July or restart the application in the new system on Monday 29 July 2019

2) No visa nomination applications can be submitted on the Live in Melbourne website between 4.00pm Wednesday 24 July 2019 (AEST) and Monday 29 July 2019.

3) If clients have an existing account, they will not be able to login to the system from 4.00pm Wednesday 24 July 2019.

On Monday 29 July 2019 clients will receive a link to the new login portal, where they will need to re-register with details.

Please note, the launch date for the new system was originally communicated as 15 July 2019.

July 23rd, 2019:

NSW-190 subclass State Sponsorship: Popular Occupations Listed

As you are aware that NSW has released the new list of occupations for 190 subclass for the year 2019-20.

The following are the POPULAR OCCUPATIONS are listed with high, medium, low & limited availability:

ANZSCO – OCCUPATION

132111 – Corporate Services Manager

132211 – Finance Manager

132311 – Human Resource Manager

132511 – Research and Development Manager

133111 – Construction Project Manager

133211 – Engineering Manager

133512 – Production Manager (Manufacturing)

134111 – Child Care Centre Manager

134214 – Welfare Centre Manager

135112 – ICT Project Manager

139911 – Arts Administrator or Manager

139912 – Environmental Manager

139914 – Quality Assurance Manager

141111 – Cafe or Restaurant Manager

141311 – Hotel or Motel Manager

224111 – Actuary

224112 – Mathematician

224113 – Statistician

224311 – Economist

224711 – Management Consultant

225113 – Marketing Specialist

225311 – Public Relations Professional

232111 – Architect

232112 – Landscape Architect

232411 – Graphic Designer

232412 – Illustrator

232511 – Interior Designer

233112 – Materials Engineer

233212 – Geotechnical Engineer

233213 – Quantity Surveyor

233214 – Structural Engineer

233215 – Transport Engineer

233611 – Mining Engineer (Excluding Petroleum)

233612 – Petroleum Engineer

233911 – Aeronautical Engineer

233913 – Biomedical Engineer

233915 – Environmental Engineer

233916 – Naval Architect

233999 – Engineering Professionals nec

234111 – Agricultural Consultant

234112 – Agricultural Scientist

234211 – Chemist

234212 – Food Technologist

234312 – Environmental Consultant

234514 – Biotechnologist

234515 – Botanist

234517 – Microbiologist

234518 – Zoologist

234599 – Life Scientists nec

234611 – Medical Laboratory Scientist

241111 – Early Childhood Teacher

241511 – Special Needs Teacher

251513 – Retail Pharmacist

252411 – Occupational Therapist

252511 – Physiotherapist

254111-Midwife

254311-Nurse Manager

261211-Multimedia Specialist

261212-Web Developer

261314-Software Tester

262111-Database Administrator

262113-Systems Administrator

263112-Network Administrator

263212-ICT Support Engineer

263213-ICT Systems Test Engineer

272511- Social Worker

272613 -Welfare Worker

311213 -Medical Laboratory Technician

312111 -Architectural Draftsperson

312211-Civil Engineering Draftsperson

312212-Civil Engineering Technician

312311-Electrical Engineering Draftsperson

312312-Electrical Engineering Technician

313213-Telecommunications Network Planner

321211 -Motor Mechanic (General)

323211 -Fitter (General)

323214 -Metal Machinist (First Class)

334111-Plumber (General)

341111 -Electrician (General)

342111-Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic

342313 -Electronic Equipment Trades Worker

342314-Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (General)

351111-Baker

351112-Pastrycook

351311-Chef

351411-Cook

391111-Hairdresser

511112-Program or Project Administrator

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

Northern Inland which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has released the new occupations list for the year 2019-20. Further, it has opened the nomination process.

Popular Occupations listed:

Agricultural Scientist 234112

Agricultural Technician 311111

Occupational Therapist 252411

Physiotherapist 252511

Agricultural Engineer 233912

Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School Teacher) 241111

Secondary School Teacher 241411

Metal Fabricator 322311

Welder (First Class) 322313

Sheetmetal Trades Worker 322211

Fitter (General) 323211

Fitter & Turner 323212

Fitter-Welder 323213

Metal Machinist (First Class) 323214

Metal Fitters and Machinists (nec) 323299

Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer 323314

Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber 334112

Electrician (General) 341111

Electrician (Special Class) 341112

Carpenter and Joiner 331211

Carpenter 331212

Plumber (General) 334111

Cabinet Maker 394111

Automotive Electrician 321111

Diesel Motor Mechanic 321212

Panel Beater 324111

Hotel or Motel Manager 141311

Please find attached the new occupations list.

How to apply: There is no EOI system for Northern Inland. An applicant needs to send the color scanned or certified copies through e-mail or post. An application fee of AUD800 is applicable.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Northern Inland under 489 sub class.

Northern Inland which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has released the new occupations list for the year 2019-20. Further, it has opened the nomination process.

Northern Inland which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa has released the new occupations list for the year 2019-20. Further, it has opened the nomination process.

Please find attached the new occupations list

July 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

NSW State Authorities have announced the new occupations list for the year 2019-20.

The list contains the availability status like high, medium, low and limited. In the list, you will also find a few occupations require additional criteria to be met.

The additional requirement for these occupations is to be living in NSW and to have been employed in NSW for at least ONE year, in the nominated occupation.

NOTE: NSW-489 subclass list is also released. However, we need to follow the respective Regional Authority list for the latest status of the occupations and nomination.

Please find attached the NSW-190 subclass State Sponsorship List.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 190 sub class.

July 17th, 2019:

NSW-489 Riverina Regional Authority Update: Release of the list and opening of the nomination process

Riverina is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass visa. It has released the occupation and the following occupations that are ADDED to the list when compared with the previous list.

Orana which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW-489 subclass has announced the closure of the nomination process until 1 August 2019. However, they have mentioned that applicants who are having genuine full-time employment in a related role in the Orana region may contact them.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for NSW Orana Regional Authority under 489 subclass.

July 16th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

Northern Inland has announced that the applications for Skilled Regional State Nomination by the Northern Inland region will be accepting from Midday on Thursday 18 July, 2019. The Occupation List for this region will go online at that time.

This Northern Inland region will NOT accept 489 applications any later than 3 September 2019. The last day that nominations will be processed and invitations from the Department of Home Affairs will be issued for the visa sub-class 489 is 10 September 2019. The new Skilled Regional State Nominate visa sub-class 491 will commence on 16 November 2019. The last day that invited applicants can lodge their application with the Department is 15 November 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Northern Inland under 489 sub class.

July 15th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

212314- Film and Video Editor- Special Conditions Apply- Competent English -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

234411 -Geologist- Low Availability- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months- VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 11th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 10th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 9th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 9th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* 2pm and 5pm Saturday 13th July 2019 AEST

* midnight and 4am Monday 15th July 2019 AEST

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

July 8th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

232411 -Graphic Designer- Special Conditions Apply- Competent English; Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 07/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 07/07/2019 -VETASSESS

234211- Chemist- Special Conditions Apply- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 08/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 08/07/2019- VETASSESS

232411 -Graphic Designer- Special Conditions Apply- Competent English; Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 07/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 07/07/2019 -VETASSESS

234211- Chemist- Special Conditions Apply- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 08/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 08/07/2019- VETASSESS

511111 -Contract Administrator- Special Conditions Apply- Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; Not available for High Points nomination from 07/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 07/07/2019- VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 05th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Introduction of Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491)

DHA has announced that the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visa will commence on 16 November 2019. The Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visa will cease at 11:59 pm on 15 November 2019.

This will affect the ability of states and territories to nominate and issue invitations for the subclass 489 visa and for intending migrants to lodge EOIs and lodge applications for this visa in accordance with the below dates:

10 September 2019 – LAST day for states and territory governments to nominate and for invitations to be issued to an intending migrant for a subclass 489 visa. Also LAST day for intending migrants to lodge an EOI in SkillSelect for the subclass 489 visa

15 November 2019 – LAST day for people who have been invited to apply for a subclass 489 visa to lodge a subclass 489 visa application.

From 16 November 2019 – Intending migrants can lodge an EOI for the subclass 491 visa. State and territory governments can nominate and invitations are able to be issued to an intending migrant for a subclass 491 visa. Visa applications can be lodged for the subclass 491 visa for intending migrants issued with an invitation to apply.

It is important to note that throughout this period nominations, invitations, EOIs, and applications are NOT affected for the 189 or 190 visa subclasses.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) or Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visas.

July 05th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that they will be doing systems maintenance on some of our online systems between 6pm and 9pm on Sunday 7 July 2019 (AEST).

The following systems may be unavailable during this period:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

My Health Declarations (MHD) service

eMedical

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Australian Trusted Trader

Employment Suitability Clearances

Detention Visitor Application

APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

Humanitarian Entrants Management System (HEMS)

Adult Migrant English Program Reporting and Management System (ARMS)

Education Provider Report (eBIT)

Visa Pricing Estimator

MSI Register

Management of all online payments

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, please try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

July 05th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Websites Unavailable

DHA has announced that the following websites will be unavailable between 2 pm Saturday 6 July and 9 am Sunday 7 July 2019:

https://archive.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/

https://www.abf.gov.au/

https://osb.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidlittleproud/

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/jasonwood/

https://www.disasterassist.gov.au/

https://www.livingsafetogether.gov.au/

https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/

https://www.triplezero.gov.au/

https://news.cicentre.gov.au/

https://www.dvs.gov.au/

https://www.organisationalresilience.gov.au/

https://www.tisn.gov.au/

https://www.harmony.gov.au/

https://cybersecuritystrategy.homeaffairs.gov.au/

During the outage, you can still access ImmiAccount, VEVO, and TRS by going directly to their webpage. In addition, VEVO and TRS users are encouraged to download the relevant mobile app.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

July 05th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

225212 -ICT Business Development Manager -Special Conditions Apply -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -VETASSESS

232212- Surveyor -Special Conditions Apply Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); Not available for High Points nomination from 05/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 05/07/2019 -SSSI

232312 -Industrial Designer- Special Conditions Apply -Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 05/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 05/07/2019; Preparedness to selfemploy -VETASSESS

311411 -Chemistry Technician -Special Conditions Apply- Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -VETASSESS

342313- Electronic Equipment Trades Worker -Special Conditions Apply -Competent English; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -TRA

342314 -Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (General) -Special Conditions Apply- Competent English; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,05/07/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

232611- Urban And Regional Planner- Special Conditions Apply- Competent English; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -VETASSESS

312912 -Metallurgical or Materials Technician- Special Conditions Apply- Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019- VETASSESS

342315- Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (Special Class)- Special Conditions Apply -Competent English; Not available for High Points nomination from 04/07/2019; Not available for Chain Migration nomination from 04/07/2019 -TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements.

Online Application Current Status:

Immigration SA would like to advise that due to a very high volume of users, the online application system is temporarily unavailable.

If you have already commenced an application before experiencing difficulties, there is no need to restart a new application. Please do not continually refresh your web page, or call our consultants, as the team is aware of the issues being experienced.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

July 02nd, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Opening of sponsorship by end of July 2019

The Queensland business and skilled programs are currently closed and will NOT open on 1 July 2019. The programs are scheduled to open by the end of July (date-to-be confirmed). Please do not contact BSMQ to enquire when the programs will open. We are currently working with stakeholders to finalize the 2019-20 programs.

Businessand skilled applicants must NOT submit an EOI for the Queensland programs on 1 July 2019 or before the programs officially open. Previous EOI’s or EOI’s submitted before Queensland programs open will NOT be picked up. Skilled applicants must also ensure they have an occupation on the new QSOL before submitting an EOI.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

The TRA has announced that Migration Skills Assessment and Migration Points Advice programs are currently experiencing a major increase in application rates. This increase is affecting processing times and most assessments are now taking longer than 90 days to complete.

They have mentioned not to contact them for status updates, as all applications are being assessed in the order they have been received.

At this time, please allow 120 days to receive an outcome.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skills Assessment & Point Advice with TRA.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Release of South Australia Skilled Occupations List effective 1st July 2019

South Australia has released the new skilled occupations list and supplementary list. An expanded State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) has been published for 2019/20 with 275 occupations available for applicants residing offshore or in South Australia. Health, ICT, social welfare, STEM and trade occupations feature on the SNOL.

An additional 223 occupations are available on the Supplementary Skilled List (SSL). SSL occupations are available for the following four categories of applicants

An international graduate of South Australia.

Have worked in a skilled occupation in South Australia for the last 12 months.

Have an immediate family member permanently residing in South Australia for 24 months or more.

Have high points.

NOTE: Applications for state nomination will be OPEN on the Immigration SA Apply website from mid-afternoon on Wednesday 3 July 2019.

Summary of Changes effective July 2019:

1) High points:

South Australia continues to sponsor under High Points who have a minimum of 80 points on the Department of Home Affair’s points test (including state nomination points).

There are quotas for the high points category and during the program year, the minimum points requirement may increase and specific occupations may be closed for high points nomination.

2) ICT occupations :

Applicants for ICT occupations (with an ACS skills assessment) will be required to have a minimum of 75 points on the Department of Home Affair’s points test (including state nomination points).

Applicants in the International graduates of South Australia or the currently working in South Australia categories are only required to have 65 points for ICT occupations.

3) International students who have been long-term residents of South Australia:

Immigration SA will continue to offer the long-term resident of South Australia category. This policy recognises those current and former students that have contributed to and remained in South Australia (and no other jurisdiction) for many years, showing their ongoing commitment to the state.

A minor amendment has been made and international students who have been in South Australia continuously for the last 7 year can apply.

Immigration SA will offer state nomination for the Provisional 489 visa to any applicant who:

Is a current or former international student residing in South Australia; AND

Has resided continually in South Australia for the last 7 years (at time of state nomination application) and continues to reside in South Australia; AND

Is currently:

working in South Australia in any occupation (does not have to be at a skilled level) for at least the last 3 months (minimum of 40 hours per fortnight); OR

studying a course with a minimum duration of one academic year in South Australia.

Applicant must meet all of the long-term residents in South Australia requirements and state nomination requirements.

Please find attached the new State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL).

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

Southern Inland which is one of the Regional Authority participating in regional sponsorship under NSW-489 subclass visa has announced the new list of occupations effective from 1st July 2019.

Please find attached the new list of occupations.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for NSW-489 Regional Sponsorship with Southern Inland.

July 01st, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/06/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/06/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also, find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

South Australia has announced that due to the annual update of the occupation list it is currently not available. A further update will be available later in the week. A news item will be published once the occupation list has been updated.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has announced the new list of occupations effective from 1st July 2019 for state sponsorship under 190 subclass.

The list is applicable for the following purposes:

1) ACT nomination of a Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa.

2) Regional Certifying Body support of an Employer Nomination under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.

The following are the changes made to the new list when compared to the earlier list:

Occupations REMOVED from the current list when compared with the previous list:

234212 Food Technologist

234517 Microbiologist

234518 Zoologist

234519 Life Scientists nec

234611 Medical Laboratory Scientist

263312 Telecommunications Network Engineer

Occupations that are moved from OPEN to CLOSED status when compared with the previous list: You will find them in CLOSED status in the new list

133111 Construction Project Manager

232511 Interior Designer

241213 Primary School Teacher

249311 Teacher of English to speakers of other languages

271311 Solicitor

351311 Chef

Occupations that are moved from ClOSED to OPEN status when compared with the previous list: You will find them in the OPEN status in the new list

132511 Research and development manager**

232611 Urban & Regional Planner

233999 Engineering Professionals nec

234111 Agricultural Consultant**

234112 Agricultural Scientist**

234211 Chemist**

234312 Environmental Consultant**

234313 Environmental Research Scientist**

234399 Environmental Scientists nec**

234411 Geologist**

234412 Geophysicist**

234413 Hydrogeologist**

234511 Life Scientist (general)**

234513 Biochemist**

234514 Biotechnologist**

234515 Botanist**

234516 Marine Biologist**

242111 University Lecturer##

251511 Hospital Pharmacist ##

251512 Industrial Pharmacist ##

251513 Retail Pharmacist ##

261111 ICT Business Analyst **

261112 Systems Analyst**

261211 Multimedia Specialist

261311 Analyst Programmer**

261312 Developer Programmer**

261313 Software Engineer**

261314 Software Tester**

261399 Software and Applications Programmers nec**

262111 Database Administrator**

262112 ICT Security Specialist**

262113 Systems Administrator**

263111 Computer Network & Systems Engineer**

263112 Network Administrator**

263113 Network Analyst**

263211 ICT Quality Assurance Engineer**

263212 ICT Support Engineer**

263213 ICT Systems Test Engineer**

263299 ICT Support and Test Engineers (nec)**

263311 Telecommunications Engineer**

NOTE:

Where occupations are marked as ^^ – Registration or licencing is required

Where occupations are marked as ** – Employment Caveat. Minimum one year ACT employment contract (in the nominated occupation). The employment must be with a medium to large enterprise (50 plus employees) located in the ACT; or an academic appointment at an ACT tertiary institution.

Where occupations are marked as ## – Minimum one-year employment contract with an ACT employer in the nominated occupation

ACT doesn’t sponsor for 489 subclass region sponsored visa.

Please find attached the new list of occupations effective 1 July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Engineers Australia has announced that they are currently experiencing intermittent system outages, may impact the online applications, please try again later or contact our Member Services Team on 1300 653 113 or memberservices@engineersaustralia.org.au

June 26th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable between:

* 5 pm Sunday 30th June and 6 am Monday 1st July 2019 AEST

Suspension of BPAY Request Payment option:

The BPAY Request payment option will be unavailable from Monday 24th June 2019 until Monday 1st July 2019.

Payment by credit card, Paypal and UnionPay are still available.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

June 25th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

DHA has announced that the following websites will be unavailable for short periods between 4 pm and 10 pm Saturday 22 June 2019 (AEST):

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://www.abf.gov.au

https://osb.homeaffairs.gov.au

During the outage, you can still access ImmiAccount, VEVO, and TRS by going directly to their webpage. In addition, VEVO and TRS users are encouraged to download the relevant mobile app.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

June 19th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

331213 -Joiner- Special Conditions Apply -Competent English -TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

June 17th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure of sponsorship process effective 24 June 2019

South Australia has announced that to complete system updates for the new program year Immigration SA will be closing the General Skilled Migration (GSM) state nomination 190/489 application system from 9 am on Monday 24 June and will re-open in the the first week of July (the date and time will be confirmed at the start of July).

If the applicant(s) have commenced a 190/489 application, will need to submit & pay for the application prior to the system being closed.

From 9 am on 24 June, incomplete applications will be deleted, this includes applications that have been “saved but not submitted” and applications that have been “submitted but are still awaiting payment”.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclasses.

NSW – 489 subclass Southern Inland Regional Authority has announced that 489 and 187 Applications will cease processing for a short period of time due to the end of the financial year. They will not be able to process applications from midday Friday 14 June 2019 until the start of the new financial year in July 2019. Exact date to be confirmed.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 13th, 2019:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: New Online Nomination Application

Victoria state authorities have announced that in the afternoon of Monday 15 July 2019, Victoria’s Skilled and Business Migration Program will be launching a new online application system for visa nomination.

The new system will allow you to:

Track the progress of your application

Access your account from multiple devices – from mobile to desktop.

What you need to know:

No visa nomination applications can be submitted on the Live in Melbourne website between 4.00pm Wednesday 10 July 2019 (AEST) and Monday 15 July 2019

If anyone has an existing account, will not be able to login to the system from 4.00pm Wednesday 10 July 2019

If anyone has a draft nomination application saved in the system, will need to submit it by 4.00pm on Wednesday 10 July or restart the application in the new system on Monday 15 July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 or 489 subclass.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,11/06/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

Orana which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsorship 489 sub class Regional Sponsorship visa has announced that from the 1st of June 2019 RDA Orana is introducing a Expression of Interest (EOI) process to be undertaken before a full application, to screen applicants committed to living and working in the Orana region.

Specific conditions for Orana region nomination

For June they will ONLY be assessing EOI from those who have been living in the Orana region for at least 6 months AND working for at least 6 months, more than 30 hours per week.

The role applicant have been working in MUST be suitable for classification under one of the Short/ Medium/ Long term skills lists for the Orana region. That is, the occupation must be eligible for a 482, 489, 187 visa in the Orana. They will also accept applications for Aged Care workers.

ANZSCO Level 1 Occupations require ‘Proficient’ English.

They stated that if the applicant is interested in submitting an Expression of Interest in June 2019 and have been living in the Orana region for at least 6 months but are not sure if you meet the criteria, they asked to please contact the skilled migration team at migration@rdaorana.org.au BEFORE he/she submits an Expression of Interest. WHERE APPLICANT APPLIES AND DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA, THE EOI WILL NOT PROGRESS & THERE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Orana for NSW-489 sub class visa.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

323211- Fitter (General)- Low Availability- Competent English- TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

June 03rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

DHA has announced that the Department will be performing scheduled system maintenance that will affect payment functionality in ImmiAccount on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

2 pm to 11:59 pm Saturday 1 June 2019

You will still be able to start, edit, and attach documents to a Visa or Citizenship application during the outage period.

If you try to make a payment for an application or a LegendCom Subscription while maintenance is in progress, one of the following errors will be displayed:

‘we are currently experiencing a technical issue with our systems. You will not be able to proceed with this application at this time as this service is temporarily unavailable’.

‘the payment system is currently not available’.

To make a payment, please try again after 11:59 pm on Saturday 1 June 2019 AEST (GMT+10).

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

May 28th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: CURRENT SYSTEM ISSUE

DHA has announced that some clients have reported that they are receiving a ‘system is temporarily unavailable’ error message when filling out online visa application forms. They are aware of the issue and their technical teams are currently investigating.

If the visa is due to expire within the next 24 hours, please contact the Department.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

May 27th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclasses.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,24/05/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

May 21st, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 09/05/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 09/05/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

391111- Hairdresser- Special Conditions Apply- Competent English;- Provisional 489 visa only; -3 years’ work experience in field; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months- TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 16th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 16th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that LEGENDcom will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 2pm to 6pm on Saturday 18th May 2019.

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* midnight to 4am on Monday 20th May 2019

* 5am to 8am on Wednesday 22nd May 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 15th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 14th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

May 13th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Immigration SA has released further information relating to South Australia’s Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) which is now available. It has released the following:

Details of the two DAMA Occupation Lists

1) Adelaide Innovation and Technology Agreement

There are 60 occupations on the Adelaide Innovation and Technology Agreement which supports the Adelaide City Deal. These occupations provide employers in the defence, space, and advanced manufacturing and technology industries with the ability to access and retain a highly-skilled workforce.

2) South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement

There are 114 occupations on the South Australian Regional Workforce Agreement which provide employers in key regional growth industries of agribusiness, health and aged care, hospitality and tourism, mining and construction sectors with the ability to access and retain a skilled workforce.

Information relating to Employer Eligibility

Further details relating to the DAMA application process and how to apply will be released by 1 July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants under Temporary Skills Shortage visa (subclass 482).

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced closure of Regional Sponsorship and stated that it will post a new list of occupations for the year 2019-2020 in July/August 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Central West NSW under 489 sub class.

May 10th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status:

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

331213 -Joiner -Low Availability -Competent English- TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

May 10th, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Closure of BSMQ skilled program:

The Queensland authorities have announced that the skilled state nomination program has now closed 10 May 2018 at 12 pm. BSMQ will continue to process those EOI’s that have previously been lodged from 18 April – 10 May 2019 12 pm until the quota has been reached.

Please do not contact themregarding the progress of your EOI as this will slow down the processing team from finalising applications.

The Queensland business and skilled state nomination programs will re-open again with new quotas and new criteria for 2019-20 financial year in early July 2019.

At this time of re-opening applicant(s) will need to submit a NEW EOI as they will not be selecting any previously submitted or updated EOIs prior to re-opening.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Queensland State Sponsorship under 190 & 489 subclass.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,08/05/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE:In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 03rd, 2019:

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Update: Planned System Outage

Engineers Australia has announced that access to myPortal will be unavailable from 7:00 pm AEST Friday 3rd May 2019 to 10:00 am AEST Saturday 04th May 2019 for system maintenance.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skills Assessment with Engineers Australia.

May 03rd, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

Department of Home Affairs has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Mid North Coast which is one of the 9 regional authorities participating in 489 sub class visa has announced that Expression of Interests for the Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (SRS) 489 program on the NSW Mid North Coast will CLOSE at 11:59pm Monday 29 April 2019. No EOIs will be reviewed or accepted after this time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship under 489 sub class with NSW-Mid North Coast.

April 24th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 24th, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship: Summary of occupation changes for ‘Working in Queensland’ and ‘Masters’ and ‘PhD’ QSOLs

The following are summary of changes to ‘Working in Queensland’ and ‘Masters’ and ‘PhD’ QSOLs

University Lecturer (ANZSCO code 242111) – must meet working in Queensland requirements

Please note that the below previously removed occupations for this FY are still unavailable:

ICT Business Analyst – 261111

Marketing Specialist – 225113

Finance Manager – 132211

Developer Programmer – 261312

Software Engineer – 261313

Civil Engineer – 233211

Electrical Engineer – 233311

Mechanical Engineer – 233512

Accountant (General) – 221111

Engineering Technologist – 233914

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 24th, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Reopening of Sponsorship for applicants working in Queensland, Masters & PhD streams

Queensland state authorities have announced that BSMQ has received additional quota for the skilled program and is re- opening the ‘Working in Queensland, ‘Masters’ and ‘PhD’ Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists from Thursday, 18 April 2019. Once this quota has been filled the program will close again until July 2019.

These lists have been changed (some occupations added and removed), so please review these lists carefully before submitting an EOI through SkillSelect.

1) Only EOI’s submitted from the 18 April 2019 will be picked up.

2) EOIs submitted prior to this date will not be picked up. If you have lodged an EOI in the past and not received an invitation you will need to submit a NEW EOI from 18 April 2019.

3) Applicants must be ONSHORE only and meet the onshore criteria for working in Queensland – including being employed for 6 months in the nominated occupation before submitting an EOI, and have an ongoing job offer for at least a year.

4) Queensland Masters graduates must be currently working in the nominated occupation and have continual ongoing employment for at least 12 months.

5) PhD graduates are not required to have a job, however there is an exception for the occupation of University Lecturer. PhD applicants applying under the occupation of University Lecturer (ANZSCO code 242111), must meet working in Queensland criteria including having been employed for six months in their nominated occupation and have continual ongoing employment for at least 12 months.

Invitations to suitable candidates will start to be sent out from Wednesday, 24 April 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 24th, 2019:

ANZAC Day Holiday in Australia

Please note that most of the authorities in Australia will be closed for ANZAC Day on Thursday 25th of April and re-open on Friday 26th of April.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Australia Immigration.

April 23rd, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/4/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/4/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 18th, 2019:

Closure for Good Friday & Easter Monday

Please note that most of the authorities in Australia will be closed on Friday, 19 April and Monday, 22 April due to the Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays. They will re-open at 9am on Tuesday, 23 April 2019. They have wished you a safe and happy Easter break.

We can continue filing the applications online wherever applicable during this period.

Please update all your clients accordingly.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

PLEASE BE ADVISED registrations for the following occupation’s will CLOSE 18th April 2019 at 9:30 am:

Agricultural Scientist (ANZSCO 234112)

Registered Nurse Aged Care (ANZSCO 254412)

Occupations that are now Closed:

Motor Mechanic (ANZSCO 321211) – CLOSED 3/4/19 at 9:30 am.

Chef (ANZSCO 351311) – CLOSED 4/4/19 AT 5:00 pm.

Registered Nurse Nec (ANZSCO 254499) – CLOSED 8/4/19 at 3:00 pm.

Registered Nurse Medical (ANZSCO 254418) – CLOSED 8/4/19 at 3:00 pm.

Early Childhood Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) – CLOSED 11/4/19 at 9:30 am.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West of NSW under 489 sub class.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,15/04/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

Invitation date: 15 April 2019

Number of invitations issued: 75

Matrix score range: 145 to 75

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

Invitation date: 28 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 203

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 8 January 2019

Invitation date: 12 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 363

Matrix score range: 110 to 60 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 21 February 2019

Number of invitations issued: 430

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 29 November 18

Invitation date: 31 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 186

Matrix score range: 130 to 65 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 15 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 212

Matrix score range: 110 to 65 points submitted up to 16 December 18

Invitation date: 3 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 205

Matrix score range: 115 to 70

Invitation date: 20 December 2018

Number of invitations issued: 93

Matrix score range: 130 to 85

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on 6 May 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

April 15th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 12th, 2019:

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Update: System Maintenance

Engineers Australia has announced that their Site is temporarily unavailable and advised that access to myPortal will be unavailable from Friday 12th 2019 5:00PM to Friday 12th 2019 11:00 PM for system maintenance.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

April 10th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 or 489 sub class visa.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

PLEASE BE ADVISED registrations for the following occupation will CLOSE 11th April 2019 at 9:30 am:

Early Childhood Teacher (ANZSCO 241111)

OCCUPATIONS THAT ARE NOW CLOSED:

MOTOR MECHANIC (ANZSCO 321211) – CLOSED 3/4/19 at 9:30 am.

CHEF (ANZSCO 351311) – CLOSED 4/4/19 AT 5:00 pm.

REGISTERED NURSE NEC (ANZSCO 254499) – CLOSED 8/4/19 at 3:00 pm.

REGISTERED NURSE MEDICAL (ANZSCO 254418) – CLOSED 8/4/19 at 3:00 pm.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West of NSW under 489 sub class.

April 10th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 4am to 8am on Wednesday 17th April 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

April 09th, 2019:

Changes to Points Test effective November 2019.

In case of Skilled Migration – DHA might make the below changes to the Points Test effective November 2019

Nomination by a State or Territory government agency or sponsorship by a family member residing in regional Australia, to live and work in regional Australia. – 15 points currently it is 10 points

Skilled spouse or de facto partner – 10 points currently it is 5 points

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) qualifications – 10 points currently we don’t have any points further details required to conclude on these points.

Spouse or de facto partner with ‘competent English’ – 5 points currently we don’t have any points

Applicants without a spouse or de facto partner – 10 points currently we don’t have any points.

NOTE: We are still waiting for a detailed announcement by DHA regarding the above-mentioned changes, and these are likely to be implemented effective Nov 2019, however it depends upon DHA. Further expecting few other changes relating to the introduction of New Temporary Regional Visas.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying under General Skilled Migration.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

PLEASE BE ADVISED registrations for the following occupation will CLOSE 8th April 2019 at 3 PM:

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

PLEASE BE ADVISED registrations for the following occupation will CLOSE 4th April 2019 at 5 PM:

Chef – ANZSCO 351311

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West under NSW-489 sub class.

April 3rd, 2019:

Changes in visa application fees

Base VACs for visa subclasses, except the Visitor Subclass 600, will increase by 5.4% from 1 July 2019

No increase to second instalment VACs

Changes in Skilled Migration Points Test – Secondary Skilled Migrants, Relief for those who like to claim points on spouse!

From November 2019, points test will be adjusted to award additional points, to the primary applicants, where their partner has competent English, but cannot meet the requirements for skilled partner points

Single applicants will also be awarded additional points to ensure they are not disadvantaged – how this will occur has not been detailed

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

Please note that the following occupation will CLOSE on 3rd April 2019 at 9:30 am:

MOTOR MECHANIC – ANZSCO 321211

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West of NSW under 489 sub class.

Central West which is one of the 9 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW- 489 sub class visa as announced earlier has restarted the Regional Sponsorship and released a new list that it is going to sponsor till 30/6/2019.

How to Apply:

RDA Central West have a two-step process for Round Two of the Central West Occupation List for 2018/2019.

The Two-Step Process:

Step One – ‘Registration of Interest’:

RDACW will require some key information and documents via their online form on their website. The documents required for registration can be up-loaded (file upload) to the form. There is no cost (no fees) to register. Registrations will be processed as quickly as possible (estimated up to 3 weeks).

Step Two – ‘Invitation to Apply’:

RDACW will request a full application for NSW Nomination via email -migration@rdacentralwest.org.au.

Applications will be processed in 6 weeks from the time of receipt by RDACW.

Please find attached the Central West list.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West of NSW under 489 sub class.

April 02nd, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times:

AITSL has announced that on 1 July 2019, the AITSL Assessment for Migration fees, including assessment application fee, appeal, skilled employment statement (SES) and additional copy of assessment outcome fees will change.

The new fees will apply to all applications submitted via our online applicant portal from 1 July 2019 onwards. Applications submitted up to and including 30 June 2019 will pay the 2018 fee..

Assessment of application – AUD845 (Earlier AUD830)

Appeal of assessment outcome – AUD845 (Earlier AUD830)

Skilled Employment Statement (SES) – AUD228

Additional copy of assessment outcome* – AUD97

*A fee applies when an additional copy is requested of a certificate with a reference number starting with WAMS.

Note: Goods and services tax (GST) – No GST is charged on any AITSL Assessment for Migration fee. The above fees are final.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AITSL.

Northern Inland which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring NSW – 489 sub class visa has announced that effective 23:59 (AEDT) Sunday the 31st of March 2019 they will no longer be accepting applications for sponsorship.

Applications received before this date will still be assessed for nomination, but may not be nominated by the NSW State Government until after the 1st of July 2019. They will be prioritising according to need and urgency in relation to an applicant’s current visa expiry and the date the application was received.

They have stated that their normal application process will resume from the 1st of July 2019.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,28/03/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

Invitation date: 28 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 203

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 8 January 2019

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

Invitation date: 12 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 363

Matrix score range: 110 to 60 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 21 February 2019

Number of invitations issued: 430

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 29 November 18

Invitation date: 31 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 186

Matrix score range: 130 to 65 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 15 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 212

Matrix score range: 110 to 65 points submitted up to 16 December 18

Invitation date: 3 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 205

Matrix score range: 115 to 70

Invitation date: 20 December 2018

Number of invitations issued: 93

Matrix score range: 130 to 85

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on15th April 2019

March 26th, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 10/3/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 10/3/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

March 26th, 2019:

AITSL Skills Assessment Update: Online Application Process

AITSL has announced that applications can now be done online. No more postal mail and hard copies plus secure online payment. Please note they will continue to accept paper-based applications until 30 April 2019.

Document preparation:

The online Applicant portal requires uploading of documents to support your application. Uploaded documents must meet the following specifications.

Document file type

The following file types can be uploaded in the Applicant portal. Each document must be in colour, no larger than 20 MB and must have a minimum resolution of 300dpi.

Jpeg/jpg

Png

PDF

Tiff

Bmp

When uploading documents of multiple pages please ensure documents are submitted in a single file. For example, a final academic transcript over multiple pages should be uploaded a single PDF file.

If a document is double sided please remember to scan both sides of the document, to ensure that all relevant information is included in your application.

AITSL will not accept:

Copies that are missing part of a document (header, footer, all pages)

Copies of photographs

Black and white copies

Low resolution copies

Copies of copies

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AITSL.

March 26th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that Immi Account will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 5am to 8am on Wednesday 27th March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

March 25th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

March 23rd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

March 22nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

March 22nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: DAMA Program

The Government of South Australia has announced that is currently finalising the details of the Designated Area Migration Agreements with the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

The Designated Area Migration Agreements will enable South Australian employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers for positions they are unable to fill with local workers.

The Designated Area Migration Agreements will provide access to additional occupations and concessions to the standard migration program.

South Australia’s Designated Area Migration Agreements will utilise the labour agreement stream of the Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482).

Businesses will enter into a labour agreement with the Australian Government and workers will then be granted a subclass 482 visa.

As the Agreements are an employer-sponsored visa program, individual workers cannot apply for a visa independently.

It is expected the Designated Area Migration Agreements will be rolled out over the next few months.

This update is applicable for all the applicants willing to apply for 482 subclass visa under DAMA with South Australia.

March 22nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

March 18th, 2019:

Tasmania State Sponsorship Update: Change in the Occupation List

Tasmania State has updated its TSOL (Tasmania Skilled Occupation List). The following occupation has been REMOVED from the list when compared with the previous list.

399312 – Library Technician – VETASSESS

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Tasmania under 489 sub class.

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 5am to 8am on Wednesday 20th March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

March 15th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

ACT has updated its skilled occupation list for state nomination under 190 sub class. The following are the changes that have been made to the list.

Occupations REMOVED from the list:

253211 Anaesthetist – This occupation has been removed from Open Occupations

The following occupations were REMOVED from Closed Occupations

121111 Aquaculture Farmer

121211 Cotton Grower

121213 Fruit or Nut Grower

121214 Grain, Oilseed or Pasture Grower

121216 Mixed Crop Farmer

121217 Sugar Cane Grower

121299 Crop Farmers nec

121312 Beef Cattle Farmer

121313 Dairy Cattle Farmer

121317 Mixed Livestock Farmer

121318 Pig Farmer

121322 Sheep Farmer

121399 Livestock Farmers nec

121411 Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmer

211499 Visual Arts & Crafts Professionals (nec)

252312 Dentist

323215 Textile, Clothing & Footwear Mechanic

323316 Watch & Clock Maker & Repairer

399211 Chemical Plant Operator

399312 Library Technician

Occupations ADDED to the list. All the following occupations have been added as Closed Occupations to the list:

139912 Environmental Manager

211213 Musician (Instrumental)

224113 Statistician

224311 Economist

233611 Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)

233612 Petroleum Engineer

233999 Engineering Professionals nec

234211Chemist

234212 Food Technologist

234312 Environmental Consultant

234313 Environmental Research Scientist

234399 Environmental Scientists nec

234412 Geophysicist

234413 Hydrogeologist

234511 Life Scientist (general)

234513 Biochemist

234514 Biotechnologist

234515 Botanist

234516 Marine Biologist

234517 Microbiologist

234518 Zoologist

234519 Life Scientists nec

234911 Conservator

234912 Metallurgist

234913 Meteorologist

234999 Natural and Physical Science Professionals nec

242111 University Lecturer

261211 Multimedia Specialist

261399 Software and Applications Programmers nec

322312 Pressure welder

361112 Horse Trainer

NOTE: In order to file for state nomination we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and wait for an invite from ACT to apply for State Sponsorship. We can file the Canberra Matrix even if the occupation is in closed status.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Tasmania State Sponsorship Update: TSOL Amended

Tasmania State has amended its TSOL (Tasmania Skilled Occupations List). It has also mentioned the occupations that are eligible for 190 sub class visa in TSOL. Further the following the occupations that have been ADDED to the list when compared with the previous list.

254424- Registered Nurses (Surgical) -ANMAC

254425- Registered Nurses (Paediatrics) -ANMAC

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Tasmania under 190 & 489 sub class.

Engineers Australia has announced that it will be upgrading its IT infrastructure at the end of March. Engineers Australia’s online portal will be temporarily made unavailable during 22- 25 March. During this time, applicant(s) will not be able to log in to EA’s Portal to initiate, submit or continue your application.

If you would like to submit any new applications should be submitted before 22 March 2019. All the unsubmitted applications will be cancelled.

Applications which are submitted by making the payment will be processed according and Engineers Australia assessors will communicate through e-mail during this system down time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 2pm to 5pm on Saturday 16th March 2019

* midnight to 4am on Monday 18th March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

March 13th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Changes to the SNOL and SSL

South Australia has announced that as per yesterday’s announcement from Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs they have changes this week (with immediate effect) to the combined list of eligible skilled occupations.

As a result of these changes, Immigration SA has reviewed the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) and Supplementary Skilled List (SSL).

The following occupations will be added to Immigration SA’s occupation lists in the afternoon of Friday 15 March, 2019.

The following occupations will be added to the State Nomination Occupation List (SNOL):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,12/03/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

Invitation date: 12 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 363

Matrix score range: 110 to 60 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

Invitation date: 21 February 2019

Number of invitations issued: 430

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 29 November 18

Invitation date: 31 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 186

Matrix score range: 130 to 65 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 15 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 212

Matrix score range: 110 to 65 points submitted up to 16 December 18

Invitation date: 3 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 205

Matrix score range: 115 to 70

Invitation date: 20 December 2018

Number of invitations issued: 93

Matrix score range: 130 to 85

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on 28 March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/2/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/2/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster of the quota for the following occupations are filled:

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,12/03/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

Invitation date: 12 March 2019

Number of invitations issued: 363

Matrix score range: 110 to 60 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Previous Invitation Rounds Details:

Invitation date: 21 February 2019

Number of invitations issued: 430

Matrix score range: 130 to 60 points submitted up to 29 November 18

Invitation date: 31 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 186

Matrix score range: 130 to 65 points submitted up to 31 December 18

Invitation date: 15 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 212

Matrix score range: 110 to 65 points submitted up to 16 December 18

Invitation date: 3 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 205

Matrix score range: 115 to 70

Invitation date: 20 December 2018

Number of invitations issued: 93

Matrix score range: 130 to 85

NEXT ROUND: The next invitation round will be held on 28 March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Commencing on 1 March 2019, applicants for Trades Recognition Australia’s (TRA) TSS Skills Assessment Program (TSS program), Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and Trades Recognition Service (TRS) will pay fees for their skills assessment directly to TRA through the TRA Online Portal.

Victoria University will provide the applicant(s) with an RTO assessment payment identifier code that must be used to make payment through the TRA Online Portal for the service required, for example, a documentary evidence assessment, technical assessment, etc.

A link to the portal will be available on the TRA website from 1 March 2019.

If any difficulty making a payment, should contact TRA for assistance at: rtofinanceandit@education.gov.au.

Assessment step – Fee amount (GST excluded)

Documentary Evidence – $1,280.00

Documentary Evidence – Review – $700.00

Documentary Evidence – Reassessment – $450.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – $2,000.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Review – $700.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Reassessment – $1,000.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – $900.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – Review – $700.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – Reassessment – $450.00

Practical Assessment – $2,200.00

Practical Assessment – Review – $700.00

Practical Assessment – Reassessment – $1,100.00

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Victoria University.

March 05th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

March 05th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 5am to 8am on Wednesday 6th March 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

March 04th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

On 1 March 2019, Minister Coleman announced that applications to sponsor a parent for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa will be open from 17 April 2019.

The new visa provides a pathway for existing Parent visa applicants to travel to Australia temporarily to spend time with their children and grandchildren while their permanent Parent visa application is being processed.

Applications for the visa are intended to open from 1 July 2019.

Process to Apply:

Step 1: Apply for Sponsorship: Sponsorship applications can be lodged from 17 April 2019.

Step 2: Visa Application: When a sponsor has been approved, the parent(s) will then be able to lodge their visa application. Visa applications must be lodged within six months of sponsorship approval and cannot be lodged until a sponsor has been approved.

Validity of the visa:

The visa is valid up to five years at a time without departing. It provides an alternative option to Visitor visas which only allow shorter periods of stay. Parents are still eligible to apply for Visitor visas and/or permanent Parent visas.

Ceilings for this visa:

Up to 15,000 Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas may be granted each program year (from 1 July to 30 June). If the cap is reached in a program year, no further visas will be granted until the next program year commences on 1 July.

Sponsorship Eligibility:

Sponsors must meet the following criteria:

The sponsor/parent relationship requirements (i.e.,: a parent must be the biological, adoptive, or step-parent of the sponsor and a step-parent can only apply if they are still in a married/de facto relationship with a biological parent of the sponsor)

Be aged at least 18 years of age

Be an Australian citizen/permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who has been usually resident in Australia for four years

Have met any prior sponsorship obligations

Have no adverse information unless it is reasonable to disregard the information

Have no debts to the Commonwealth or public health debts unless appropriate arrangements have been made for payment

A minimum household income threshold (based on the income of the sponsor, or the combined income of the sponsor and their spouse/partner and/or another child of the parent)

Provide police clearances for any country they have spent more than 12 months cumulatively in during the past 10 years

Authorize information to be shared with the visa applicant.

Sponsors must comply with sponsorship obligations in relation to the parent(s) they are sponsoring.

Sponsorship Obligations:

A parent sponsor will be required to meet obligations including:

Providing financial support and accommodation for their parent in Australia

Keeping records and providing them to the Department if asked. For example evidence of income. This obligation ends two years after the day the person ceases to be a sponsor

Advising the Department when certain events occur. For example if they are charged with a crime. This obligation ends the day after the person ceases to be a sponsor

Paying outstanding public health debts incurred by their parent in Australia. The obligation ceases if the relevant health authority advises the debt has been repaid, or acceptable repayment arrangements have been made. However, this obligation will continue if there are outstanding health debts, even after the parent who incurred them has departed Australia.

If an obligation is breached, the Department can consider:

Cancelling the sponsorship. This means Parent(s) and dependents must either find another sponsor or depart Australia

Barring a sponsor. A bar prevents a sponsor from sponsoring further parents for a period of time.

NOTE: If the parent incurs public health debts in Australia and these are not paid, the party owed the debt will be able to pursue the sponsor, through the Courts if necessary, to have the debt repaid.

Sponsorship Validity:

A parent sponsorship will cease:

If the sponsor’s permanent visa is cancelled

If the sponsor dies

If the sponsor withdraws their sponsorship

If the sponsored parent does not apply for a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa within six months of the sponsorship being approved

Be outside Australia (unless invited in writing to apply by the Department), for at least 90 days if the applicant holds or has previously held a Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa

Not have engaged in payment for visas conduct

Provide evidence of access to funds

Provide evidence of health insurance

Not have an outstanding public health debt (unless appropriate arrangements have been made to repay the debt)

Satisfy health, character, and national security requirements.

How long the parent(s) can stay in Australia:

The visa allows parents to stay in Australia temporarily for a period of up to five years at a time.

A parent must be outside Australia for at least 90 days before being eligible to apply for a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.

A parent will be able to hold visas up to a total stay in Australia of 10 years, reflecting that the visa is a temporary visa and does not lead to permanent residence.

Parents who have held Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visas for the cumulative maximum 10 year period must either depart Australia or apply for another visa that will allow them to remain in Australia. They will not be eligible for grant of a further Sponsored Parent (Temporary) visa.

Visa Costs:

The visa application charge is:

AUD5, 000 for a visa of up to three years’ duration; or

AUD10, 000 for a visa of up to five years’ duration.

The visa application charge is payable in two installments, with one payment at time of application and the remainder paid prior to visa grant.

Work Rights:

Parent(s) will generally be subject to a “no work” condition.

NOTE: We will come to know further details regarding this sub class in the coming days.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a Parent Visa.

March 01st, 2019:

Trades Recognition Australia Update: How to make the payment for skills assessment under OSAP with the RTOs like Vetassess or Victoria University.

Payment for services with Regional Training Organisations (RTOs):

Fees for OSAP skills assessments are paid to TRA via the TRA Online Portal. However, applicants will first need to contact the chosen TRA-approved RTO to obtain a unique RTO Assessment Payment Identifier Code for the service he/she require e.g. documentary evidence assessment, technical assessment, etc.

Once applicants have obtained the RTO Assessment Payment Identifier Code, they must register a username and password in the portal before they can make a payment. They will use the same user name and password for each payment they make.

Applicants will NOT have met the standards set by TRA under OSAP if:

The documentary evidence provided to the TRA-approved RTO is NOT decision ready.

The documentary evidence provided to the TRA-approved RTO is NOT relevant to your nominated occupation.

The documentary evidence is found to contain false or misleading information.

Applicant(s) were unsuccessful in meeting the requirements of the technical assessment.

TRA agrees with the RTO’s recommendation for an unsuccessful outcome.

If unsuccessful, the RTO will provide you with the final outcome documentation, including information about any identified skills gaps.

The final outcome documentation will also contain information about the options for review and reassessment, including the relevant RTO Assessment Payment Identifier Codes which can be used to make a payment for these services through the TRA Online Portal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with RTOs under OSAP.

AACA has announced that for skills assessment as an Architect ANZSCO – 232111 the documentation must be clearly demonstrate that the qualification adequately covers the following six prescribed core areas of study relevant to an Australian qualification:

• Design Studies and Design Integration

• Documentation and Technical Studies

• History and Theory Studies

• Practice and Project Management, Implementation and User Studies

• Environmental Studies

• Communication Studies

NOTE: Earlier there were SEVEN core study areas now they have reduced it to SIX.

Appealing a decision: Applicants may appeal decisions made by AACA. The appeal must be lodged in writing with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AACA within 28 days from the date of notification of the result. Earlier it was 3 months.

Payment is required to be made immediately after the form is completed. The filled form will NOT be saved or submitted if your payment is declined. *Your security password may be referred to as “3D Secure”, “Verified by Visa” or “MasterCard SecureCode” depending on your credit card type and your bank.

The checklist of documents required to be submitted as part of application:

Completed application form

Cover Letter

Evidence of Name Change (if applicable)

Signed Authorisation Letter (if you are using an Agent)

Evidence of Registration as an Architect in English (if applicable)

Academic Qualifications

Degree Certificate Original

Degree Certificate Translation Original (if applicable)

Academic Transcript Original

Academic Transcript Translation Original (if applicable)

Diploma Supplement Original (if applicable)

Diploma Supplement Translation Original (if applicable)

Self-Assessment Matrix

Applicant’s Declaration Form

NOTE:

All scans must be in pdf format, in colour and at a resolution of at least 300 dp

Ensure that your pdfs are not password protected.

Do not submit certified copies, photocopies, black or white copies

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AACA.

Pathway – 1- Applicants who don’t have an Australia Qualifications or License

As part of the application process, applicants need to provide evidence of the employment, skills and knowledge. The evidence must show applicant meets the minimum employment experience requirements for the nominated occupation:

In addition the evidence must show he/she has worked in the occupation for at least 12 months within the last 3 years and must be able to be verified.

Pathway – 2 – Applicants who have an Australia Qualifications or License

Applicants should have worked in paid employment in the occupation for at least 3 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) at the skill level required. This evidence can include taxation records, annual payment summaries, group certificates, payslips and/or bank statements.

Applicants should have worked full-time in the nominated occupation for 12 months in the last 3 years. For applicants applying with a current Australian occupational licence, this 12 months employment must be in Australia.

Applicant will be required to submit payment directly to Trades Recognition Australia. The above changes are effective 1 March 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess under trade occupations.

March 01st, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/1/2019

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/1/2019. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster on an average more than 50% of the quota for the following occupations is filled:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Minor Changes to general skilled migration sponsorship

Immigration SA (South Australia) is introducing some changes to its general skilled migration nomination policies.

1) Rewarding international students that have been long-term residents of South Australia

From 28 February 2019, Immigration SA will offer state nomination for the Provisional 489 visa to any applicant who:

Is a current or former international student residing in South Australia; AND

Has resided continually in South Australia since March 2012 or earlier and continues to reside in South Australia; AND

Is currently: working in South Australia in any occupation (does not have to be at a skilled level) for at least the last 3 months (minimum of 40 hours per fortnight); OR

Studying a course with a minimum duration of one academic year in South Australia.

Conditions:

Applicants who have lived, studied or worked in another Australian state/jurisdiction for any period of time since 2012 will NOT be eligible.

Short visits home or holidays will NOT break the SA residency requirement, provided that evidence of continued connection to South Australia is provided (i.e. continued enrolment and/or employment and relevant visa held).

To be considered a former international graduate of South Australia, you must have completed a CRICOS registered course with a minimum duration of 46 weeks. If currently studying, this course must also be CRICOS registered for a minimum of 46 weeks.

The applicant must meet all other state nomination and Department of Home Affairs’ requirements. As per any application for state nomination, a valid Skills Assessment and English language test result is required. For the latter, only the minimum Department of Home Affairs requirement of ‘Competent’ English is necessary (unless a higher level is required for registration purposes ).

2) Expansion of the high performing graduate category for South Australian graduates

Immigration SA offers state nomination without the need for work experience to students able to obtain skills assessment where they can meet the high performing graduate settings.

190 sub class nomination:

For South Australian graduates with a bachelor’s degree graduates or a masters by coursework after a South Australian bachelor’s degree, this work experience waiver required a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 6.0. This mark remains for those seeking nomination for a permanent 190 visa.

489 sub class nomination:

For other students who have performed very well in their studies, but not to a GPA of 6.0 and above, Immigration SA will offer Provisional visa nomination (subclass 489) to those scoring a GPA of 5.20 to 5.99. This will allow these students to spend longer in South Australia than via other temporary pathways available, giving them more time to establish their careers.

Conditions:

This is applicable for those students who get their skills assessment positive.

To access this waiver, the applicant must have completed their South Australia degree within the last two years and continued to live in South Australia since then.

Currently for applicants with an eligible family member already residing in South Australia, the chain migration pathway offers access to occupations on the Supplementary Skilled List, but since its introduction, the requirement is a minimum bachelor’s degree or higher.

This bachelor’s degree requirement has now been removed, meaning access to a range of trade occupations that are not on the State Nominated Occupation List is now possible for those with eligible family in South Australia.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 27th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 8.30pm Friday 1st March to midday on Saturday 2nd March 2019

Suspension of BPAY Request Payment option

DHA has announced that the BPAY Request payment option will be unavailable from 11:59pm (AEDT) Sunday 24th February 2019 until midday on Saturday 2nd March 2019. Clients will still be able to make payments by credit card, Paypal or Union Pay during this period.

Northern Inland which is one of the 9 regional authorities participating in NSW – 489 sub class regional sponsorship has announced that the occupation “Motor Mechanic (General) – ANZSCO – 321211” will be removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List on 4th March, 2019.

Applications received on or before this date (up until midnight) will be considered BUT they must be complete applications, with all requirements met, or a negative outcome may result

NOTE: All the 9 regional authorities have their own SOLs, application process, fee, requirements & criteria.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with NSW – Northern Inland under 489 sub class.

February 25th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Vetassess has updated their website stating that TRA has announced changes to the trade skills assessment process, including changes to the fees and payment process for OSAP, TSS and TRS trade skills assessments:

– These changes relate to all new applications received from 1st March 2019.

– The VETASSESS application portal will be closed for maintenance on Thursday 28th February 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

February 25th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 8.30pm Friday 1st March to 08.30am Saturday 2nd March 2019

Suspension of BPAY Request Payment option:

DHA has announced that the BPAY Request payment option will be unavailable from 11:59pm (AEDT) Sunday 24th February 2019 until 8.30am Saturday 2nd March 2019.

Applicants will still be able to make payments by credit card, Paypal or Union Pay during this period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

February 22nd, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

TRA has announced that commencing on 1 March 2019, applicants for Trades Recognition Australia’s (TRA) TSS Skills Assessment Program (TSS program), Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and Trades Recognition Service (TRS) will pay fees for their skills assessment directly to TRA through the TRA Online Portal.

Before a payment can be made, applicants must select a TRA approved registered training organisation (TRA approved RTO) to conduct their skills assessment from RTO Finder.

Your chosen RTO will provide you with an RTO assessment payment identifier code that must be used to make payment through the TRA Online Portal for the service you require, for example, a documentary evidence assessment, technical assessment, etc.

A link to the portal will be available on the TRA website from 1 March 2019. If you have any difficulty making a payment, you should contact TRA for assistance at: RTOFinanceandIT@education.gov.au.

From 1 March 2019, the following fees apply for the TSS Program, OSAP and TRS. These fees are also available on the TRA website in the Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) for the TRA RTO Assessment Services (see TRA News Items, published 4 January 2019).

Assessment step – Fee Amount (GST Excl)

Documentary Evidence – $1,280.00

Documentary Evidence – Review – $700.00

Documentary Evidence – Reassessment – $450.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – $2,000.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Review$ – 700.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Reassessment – $1,000.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – $900.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – Review – $700.00

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 Reassessment – $450.00

Practical Assessment – $2,200.00

Practical Assessment – Review – $700.00

Practical Assessment – Reassessment – $1,100.00

NOTE: This change will affect all the skills assessments for Trade Occupations with Vetassess & Victoria University, there is no update yet regarding this on their websites.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment under Trade Occupations with RTOs.

Additional Document Requirement for ACT Employment: Canberra Matrix guidelines have been updated to include a requirement for a mandatory document ‘Summary of Working Hours’ to evidence ACT employment which is there as Attachment – C in the guidelines. All applications lodged after 20 February 2019 must include this document.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 19th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 18th, 2019:

Australia State Sponsorship Current Status as on 18/02/2019

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 190 sub class – Currently ACT is sponsoring under 190 sub class, applicants can apply for state sponsorship, even if the occupation is in a closed status. We need to first submit the Canberra Matrix. The following are the last Invitation Round results of Canberra Matrix. The next Canberra Matrix invitation round will be on 21 February 2019.

Western Australia190 & 489 sub class – Currently Western Australia is sponsoring limited number of occupations, it has also got Graduate Occupation List for the applicants who have studied in Western Australia. However for all the occupations in the list need a contract of employment of 12 months from a Western Australian Employer.

Tasmania190 & 489 subclass – Currently we can apply for sponsorship for 190 & 489 sub classes, an offer of employment is mandatory in order to apply under 190 sub class or applicant should have studied or working in Tasmania. Applicant can apply under 489 sub class if the occupation is listed in TSOL and meeting the requirements, also if the applicant has a close relative on a PR in Tasmania is eligible for 489 sub class sponsorship.

New South Wales 190 sub class – We can apply under 190 sub class with NSW only if the occupation is listed in NSW Skilled Occupations List. Currently there is no Stream -2 option available.

New South Wales 489 sub class – The following is the current status of the 9 regional areas:

Central West – New Regional Authority – Temporarily Closed will reopen in April 2019

Far South Coast – Temporarily Closed.

Mid North Coast – Temporarily Closed

Northern Rivers – Temporarily Closed – New Regional Authority added in November 2018 – The details still not updated.

Orana – Temporarily Closed

Riverina – Temporarily Closed.

Southern Inland – Currently Sponsoring recently updated the SOL

Murray- Currently Sponsoring

Northern Inland – Currently Sponsoring updated the SOL today

NOTE: All the above mentioned 9 Regional Areas have their own SOLs, application processing, fee (ranging between AUD700-AUD880), criteria & requirements. Most of them require notarized documents.

Northern Territory 190 & 489 sub class – Currently we can apply for sponsorship. Applicants with the occupation listed in NT list and also applicants whose occupation is held in MLTSSL or STSOL or ROL can also apply for state sponsorship with NT, they should provide strong evidence of employability and evidence that the occupation is in shortage in the NT. Applicants who are not meeting the requirements of GSM, can also pursue under 482 sub class TSS labour agreement stream – DAMA-NT process, which is a NT employer nominated process.

South Australia 190 & 489 sub class – Currently we can apply for sponsorship, occupation should be listed in South Australia Nominated Occupations List (SNOL) or Supplementary Skilled List (SSL). In case if the occupation is listed under special conditions apply or listed in SSL then the applicant has to meet the additional requirements.

Victoria 190 & 489 sub class – We can apply for state sponsorship and in order to apply for 489 sub class; applicants need an offer of employment from Regional Victoria.

Queensland 190 & 489 sub class – Currently we cannot apply for sponsorship, Queensland has now closed state nomination for all business and skilled visas. No further invitations will be issued. BSMQ will re-open the State Nomination Program in the new financial year. We need to submit a new EOI after the new occupation lists have been released in July. They will not select any submitted EOI’s prior to this time.

This information relates to all the applicants who want to apply for state nomination under 190 or 489 sub class.

The Central West which is one of the 9 regional authorities of NSW currently participating in 489 sub class state nomination process has announced that their Skills Occupation List will re-open in April 2019.

NOTE: All the 9 regional authorities have their own SOLs, application process, fee, requirements & criteria.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West of NSW under 489 sub class.

391111 – Hairdresser – Low Availability – Competent English; – Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; – South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months -TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Victoria has announced that following a short pause, they are pleased to advise that Victoria will begin issuing invitations and assessing nomination applications for affected business and investor visa subclasses from 18 February 2019.

Please note that an Expression of Interest (EOI) process will be introduced for the following visas:

Applicants will now need to submit an EOI for the relevant visa subclass in the Department of Home Affairs’ SkillSelect and indicate their interest for Victorian nomination.

Applicants do not need to notify Victoria’s Skilled & Business Migration Program that they have submitted an EOI.

Please note that EOIs submitted before 18 February 2019 in the SkillSelect system will not be considered. Applicants will need to resubmit to be considered for Victorian nomination.

Victoria will also begin issuing invitations and assessing nomination applications for the 188 – Significant Investor Stream on 18 February. There are currently no process changes to nomination applications for this visa type.

This update is applicable for the applicants applying under 188 & 132 sub classes.

February 15th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance:

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

from 2pm Saturday 16 February to 9am Sunday 17 February (AEDT):

midnight until 4am on Monday 18th February 2019

Please be advised that the following websites will be unavailable during above mentioned periods:

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://www.abf.gov.au

https://archive.homeaffairs.gov.au

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/lindareynolds

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/peterdutton

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman

https://www.livingsafetogether.gov.au

https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au

https://www.triplezero.gov.au

https://news.cicentre.gov.au

https://www.dvs.gov.au

https://www.organisationalresilience.gov.au

https://www.tisn.gov.au

https://www.disasterassist.gov.au

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

February 13th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 12th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 11th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Changes to the occupations in Skilled Nominated Occupations List (SNOL) and Supplementary Skilled List (SSL)

As announced earlier the following changes have been made by South Australia today to its Skilled Nominated Occupations List (SNOL) and Supplementary Skilled List (SSL)

The status of the following occupations has been changed from SPECIAL CONDITIONS TO LOW AVAILABILITY effective today:

The following Occupations on the Supplementary Skilled List with the restriction on offshore applicants lifted. We can now apply under High Points and Chain Migration pathways again:

132211- Finance Manager -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months-CPA / CA / IPA

Removal of the requirement that if qualification was obtained in Australia, this must have been achieved in South Australia:

391111 -Hairdresser –Available- Competent English; Provisional 489 visa only; 3 years’ work experience in field; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months-TRA

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

VETASSESS currently uses only month and year to calculate the employment dates. As of 14 February 2019, they will be considering the exact date, including day, month and year for the Date Deemed Skilled to align with the Department of Home Affairs requirement for the date an applicant’s employment is considered ‘skilled’.

Please note that they will continue to retrieve these dates from official documents only. Supporting employment documentation can include payslips, tax returns, and a statement of service from employer clearly indicating the exact period of employment and if applicable, any period of unpaid leave.

Employment outside Ten Years

Please be advised that as of 14 February 2019, VETASSESS may be able to consider closely related employment outside the last ten years, provided it is continuous employment with the same employer within the last ten years.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

February 08th, 2019:

Queensland business and skilled state nomination programs now closed.

Queensland has now closed state nomination for all business and skilled visas from today 8 February 2019.

No further invitations will be issued from this date. BSMQ will continue to process applications which have been already invited for state nomination prior to this date until our quota is exhausted.

BSMQ will re-open the State Nomination Program in the new financial year from the 1 July 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 07th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point in time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 07th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

5am until 8am on Wednesday 13th February 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for a visa.

February 06th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless the client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point in time.

NOTE: In the case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Queensland has announced that due to the high demand of onshore 489 EOIs received (including Masters Alumni applicants) BSMQ will only be issuing an invitation to those applicants that are currently working in regional as well as having ongoing job offers.

Please also note applicants currently on a tourist visa and onshore, BSMQ will not be issuing 190 & 489 nominations for those who are applying as offshore applicants. If you are applying as an offshore applicant you must be living and working offshore.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 06th, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/12/2018

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/12/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also, find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster on an average more than 50% of the quota for the following occupations is filled:

ACT has invited the applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the Invitation Round that took place today i.e.,31/1/2019. Please note that in order to apply for the state sponsorship with ACT we need to first file the Canberra Matrix and get an invitation to apply for state sponsorship.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

January 30th, 2019:

Tasmania State Sponsorship under 489 Sub Class Update: Change in the TSOL

Tasmania State has updated its Tasmania Skilled Occupations List (TSOL), the following occupation has been added when compared with the previous list. They have not removed any occupation.

322311 Metal Fabricator TRA

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Tasmania under 489 subclass visa.

January 30th, 2019:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Removal of few occupations from the lists

Queensland has announced that all the below occupations in bold have been removed from Queensland Skilled Occupations Lists (QSOL) for FY 2018-19. Occupations were closed on the dates listed below.

Please note that the following occupations:

ICT Business Analyst – 261111

Quantity Surveyor – 233213

Construction Project Manager – 133111

Marketing Specialist – 225113

will be removed from all the Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOLs) on 01 February 2019 as BSMQ has received many expressions of interest for these occupations and has filled the quota.

If you have not received an invitation by this date, BSMQ is no longer able to issue any new invitations. BSMQ may open these occupations later if the current invitees do not respond in the required time frame.

Please also note:

Interior Designer – 232511

Actuary – 224111

will be removed from the offshore QSOL list but will be kept on the QSOL Working in Queensland onshore list.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 subclass.

January 30th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

12am until 4am on Monday 04th February 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

January 24th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance:

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

Northern Inland has announced that the following occupations were removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List on 24 January, 2019. Applications received on or before this date (up until midnight) will be considered BUT they must be complete applications, with all requirements met or a negative outcome may result:

Dentist – 252312

Metal Machinist (First Class) – 323214

NOTE: All the Regional Areas have their own SOLs, application processing, fee (ranging between AUD700-AUD800), criteria & requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Northern Inland- NSW under 489 sub class.

January 17th, 2019:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

January 17th, 2019:

ACT State Sponsorship Update: Canberra Matrix – INVITATION ROUND

ACT has announced the results of the invitation round of Canberra Matrix that took place on 15th January 2019. Please find below the details of the rounds till date.

The Victoria University Skilled Migration Assessment Services has announced that it cannot accept any new applications under the current Services Deed and Fees after 28 February 2019, including applications for appeal and reassessment.

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) has developed a Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) for its RTO Assessment Services. The CRIS documents the charging model that commences on 1 March 2019 for the TSS Skills Assessment Program (TSS Program), Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and Trades Recognition Service (TRS).

There are chances of increase in skills assessment fee for Trade Occupations assessed by RTOs effective 1 March 2019.

The new fee could be as per the below effective 1 March 2019:

Documentary Evidence Assessment Fee – AUD900

Technical Interview – Pathway 1 Fee – AUD2,000

Technical Interview – Pathway 2 Fee – AUD900

Practical Assessment Fee – AUD2,200

Documentary Evidence Reassessment Fee – AUD450

Technical Reassessment – Pathway 1 Fee – AUD1,000

Technical Reassessment – Pathway 2 Fee – AUD450

Practical Reassessment Fee – AUD1,100

January 17th, 2019:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the Department will be performing scheduled system maintenance that will affect payment functionality in ImmiAccount on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

9am to 7pm Sunday 20 January 2019

Applicants will still be able to start, edit, and attach documents to a Visa or Citizenship application during the outage period.

If you try to make a payment for an application or a LegendCom Subscription while maintenance is in progress, one of the following errors will be displayed:

‘we are currently experiencing a technical issue with our systems. You will not be able to proceed with this application at this time as this service is temporarily unavailable’.

‘the payment system is currently not available’.

To make a payment, please try again after 7pm on Sunday 20 January 2019 (AEDT).

January 14th, 2019:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 11/11/2018

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster on an average 45% of the quota for the following occupations is filled:

2211 Accountants* out of 3753 – 1680 already invited –45% quota is over

2212 Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers out of 1342 – 600 already invited – 45% quota is over

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

January 4th, 2019:

ACT State Sponsorship Update: Canberra Matrix – Invitation Round

ACT has issued invitations on 3 January 2019 for all the eligible applicants to apply for state sponsorship. The following are the details of the same.

Invitation date: 3 January 2019

Number of invitations issued: 205

Matrix score range: 70 to 115

NOTE: We have to submit the Canberra Matrix to receive an invitation from ACT. The next invitation round will be on 15 January 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

January 3rd, 2019:

State Sponsorship Update for Business & Investor Visas:

NSW Update: Applications For NSW Nomination For Business And Investor Visas Are Closed Until Further Notice

NSW has temporarily closed applications for nomination for certain visas under the federal government’s Business Innovation and Investment Program pending the release of additional places by the Department of Home Affairs.

Queensland is temporarily suspending issuing new invitations for the following visas under the Business Innovation and Investment Program from 02/01/2019. Queensland are not accepting any new EOI’s submitted from this date.

NSW-489 sub class Central West Regional Authority Update: Review of the list in March 2019

Central West which is one of the Regional Authorities participating in the NSW-489 sub class regional sponsorship has announced that the assessment of visa applications are ongoing. All applicants will be notified by email from RDACW of assessment outcomes. The Central West Skills Occupation List will remain closed for review until 31st January 2019.

RDACW are reviewing the Central West Skills Occupation List for 2019. RDACW will be reviewing procedural assessment of the Skilled Regional (provisional) 489 Visa for 2019. The Central West Skills Occupation List will re-open in March 2019. The list and all criteria for applying will be up-loaded to the website in March 2019.

NOTE: Central West was closed for all the occupations on 21 Aug 2018. There are 9 regional authorities participating in the NSW-489 sub class regional sponsorship, every region has its own list, application process, fee, criteria & requirements.

Currently the following is the status of 9 regions that are participating in NSW’s 489 program:

Central West – New Regional Authority – Temporarily Closed.

Far South Coast – Temporarily Closed.

Mid North Coast – Temporarily Closed

Northern Rivers – Temporarily Closed – New Regional Authority added in November 2018 – The details still not updated

Orana – Temporarily Closed

Riverina – Temporarily Closed.

Southern Inland – Currently Sponsoring

Murray- Currently Sponsoring

Northern Inland – Currently Sponsoring

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW under 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 18th, 2018:

Vetassess Skills Assessment Update: Public Holiday Office Closures

Vetassess has announced the following:

All offices closed: 22 December – 1 January, 2019, and will reopen on Wednesday 2 January 2019.

Applications (General & Trade Occupations, Chinese Qualifications & Support) can still be submitted via the online portal and will be processed when our offices reopen. Skills Assessment applications received during this closure period will be processed when our office is reopened on 2 January 2019.

Priority Processing Service Availability:

Last applications for 2018 is 5pm (AEDT) Friday, 14 December and service will resume, 2 January, 2019.

Applications cannot be submitted for 2018 after 5pm (AEDT) Friday 14 December. This service will resume from Wednesday 2 January 2019.

Please note: the 10-business day assessment timeframe for Priority Processing applications received on or prior to 14 December will exclude the office closure period outlined above.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

December 18th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 9am until 5pm on Sunday 23rd December 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

December 17th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 17th, 2018:

Western Australia State Sponsorship Update: Changes to Graduate Occupations List

Western Australia has announced that Accountant (General) 221111 under review on the Graduate occupation list

Due to the high number of expressions of interest by applicants with the nominated occupation of ANZSCO 221111 Accountant (General), this occupation on the Graduate occupation list is now under review.

Invitations to apply for WA State nomination for this occupation will be limited.If you have already received an invitation, your application will not be affected.

This update is applicable for all the applicants who are eligible for state sponsorship under Western Australia Graduate Stream.

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) has announced that TRA will be closed for the Christmas/New year period.

The TRA telephone enquiry line and email enquiry services will close at 4pm, Friday 21 December 2018 and will reopen at 10am Monday, 7 January 2018.

Please do not send enquiries to TRA during this period. Enquiries received during this period will not be actioned.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skills Assessment with TRA.

December 17th, 2018:

AITSL Skills Assessment Update: Christmas Closure

AITSL has announced that AITSL Assessment for Migration office will be closing on Monday 24 December 2018 and will re-open Wednesday 2 January 2019. During this time you will still be able to post your migration skills assessment application and this will be retrieved and processed as soon as possible upon their return. Any enquiries during this closure period will be responded to after they re-open on 2 January 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skills Assessment with AITSL.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/10/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

The Australian Psychological Society has announced national office will be closed from 21 December 2018, reopening 7 January 2019. There will be no correspondence from the Assessments Team during this time.

Assessments Team unavailable 21 Dec 2018 – 7 Jan 2019

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Australian Psychological Society.

December 11th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

Vetassess has confirmed that currently VETASSESS considers paid doctoral research level studies as valid employment for skills assessment purposes.

Vetassess has announced that as of 15 December 2018, VETASSESS will NOT accept paid doctoral studies for skills assessment purposes, consistent with the Department of Home Affairs requirements.

For skilled employment to be considered ‘remunerated’, applicants must be engaged in the occupation on a paid basis, generally at the award or market rate of the occupation. A person receiving minimal living allowances or scholarships designed to cover study expenses would NOT be considered to be ‘remunerated’.

VETASSESS will continue to ensure that impact on its clients is minimised during the transition leading up to the implementation date. Applications received prior to 15 December 2018 will be processed according to the criteria at the time of applying.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

December 10th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 5am until 8am Wednesday 12th December 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

December 4th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 4th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 4th, 2018:

Western Australia State nomination invitation round for December 2018

Western Australia has announced that invitations for State nomination are usually issued on the third Thursday of each month. This will be brought forward by one week in December due to the Christmas and new year closure. Invitations are anticipated to be issued by 14 December 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Western Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 4th, 2018:

Vetassess Skills Assessment Update: Office Closures

Vetassess has announced that during the festive season, VETASSESS offices will close from Friday 21 December 2018 and will reopen, Wednesday 2 January 2019.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

NSW-489 Far South Coast Regional Sponsorship has announced that Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (SRS) 489 program for the NSW Far South Coast is currently suspended until early 2019.

Due to this suspension, they cannot accept any further applications at present. They will announce the reopening of the program on this website. The assessment process for all previously accepted applications will proceed as normal.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 29th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 29th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 27th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 27th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has annnounced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 5am until 8am Wednesday 28th November 2018

* 2pm until 5pm on Saturday 1st December 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 26th,2018:

Department Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 2pm until 5pm on Saturday 1st December 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 23rd,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 23rd,2018:

Western Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure over the Christmas and new year period 2018/19

The WA Migration Services office will be closed from 4.00 pm, Friday 21 December 2018 and reopen at 8.30 am, Wednesday 2 January 2019.

No invitations or assessment outcomes for State nomination will be issued during this time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Western Australia.

November 23rd,2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Removal of Occupations from the Lists

Queensland State Authorities have announced that the following occupations have been removed from all the Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOLs) effective 22 November 2018.

Finance Manager – 132211

Registered Nurse (Aged Care) – 254412

Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) – 254415

Developer Programmer – 261312

Software Engineer – 261313

BSMQ has received many expressions of interest for these occupations and has filled the quota. If you have not received an invitation by yesterday, BSMQ is no longer able to issue any new invitations.

BSMQ may open these occupations later if the current invitees do not respond in the required time frame. If this happens, information will be posted.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 22nd,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 21st,2018:

Requirements to be met by Overseas Residents – 190 sub class:

Should have atleast 65 points in the EOI including the 5 points by the state

Nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation, you must demonstrate a ‘Proficient’level of English as defined by Home Affairs.

Skills and at least 12 months experience in the nominated occupation must be relevant to the ACT economy. Experience in heavy industry, manufacturing, production, mining; shipping, gas and oil, head office banking and railways are not generally considered relevant industries given the structure of the ACT economy which is primarily knowledge-based.

Have a genuine ACT job offer in your nominated ‘open’ occupation OR you must provide evidence of sufficient ACT employment opportunities in your nominated occupation, relevant to your skill set.

Must have access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Canberra while you seek employment.

Other requirements that might be published by 29/11/2018

Note: Overseas Residents NOT eligible for ACT 190 nomination if applicant, or any dependents, are living or have lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months.

Requirements to be met by Canberra Residents – 190 sub class:

Should have atleast 65 points in the EOI including the 5 points by the state

If an applicant have previously held a student/temporary graduate visa within the last two years:

Must be resident in Canberra for at least 12 months at time of invitation.

From 1 July 2019, the minimum ACT residence criteria for student/temporary graduate visa holders will increase to two years.

Must be working in Canberra for at least three months. While the employment does not have to be fulltime or permanent, must be working a minimum 20 hours per week. May also work for more than one ACT employer or be self-employed on an ABN. If employed by a NSW employer in the ‘ACT Region’, you must demonstrate that your work activity is located in the ACT.

Nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation, you must demonstrate a ‘Proficient’ level of English as defined by Home Affairs.

Other requirements that might be published by 29/11/2018

Note: Canberra Residents NOT eligible for ACT 190 nomination if you or any dependents are living or working in another Australian state or territory.

Conditions:

1) ACT doesn’t sponsor for 489 sub class visa.

2) All the applicants migrating under 190 sub class initially need to stay in ACT for 2 years& should sign the commitment as a part of the application process.

3) A close family member is defined as a spouse / partner, parents, child, brother, sister or grandparents of the main applicant or their spouse / partner.

Tuesday 27 November 2018– ACT online system shutdown

The ACT Government’s current system will go OFF LINE at 4pm (AEST) on Tuesday 27 November 2018 to enable the system change over to the Matrix. If you intend to start an application for ACT nomination for an ‘open’ occupation (under the current nomination criteria), the application must be submitted (and service fee paid) before 4 pm on Tuesday 27 November 2018. Any ‘in progress’ applications that have not been submitted (and service fee paid) by 4pm will automatically lapse and cannot be reactivated. Any applications lodged and paid for before 4pm on Tuesday 27 November will be assessed and finalised under the existing guidelines.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

November 20th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

Must formally express an interest in applying for ACT 190 nomination by completing a score-based ‘Canberra Matrix’ where applicant is allocated points against demonstrated economic contribution or benefit and/or a genuine commitment to be part of the ACT community. Scores of 20 points and above will be ranked. The highest ranked candidates under the scoring system will then be selected and invited to apply for ACT 190 nomination.

If invited to apply for ACT 190 nomination, must complete and submit the online application (and pay the service fee) within 14 days. Must attach the required documents to evidence your Matrix score. If cannot evidence the Matrix score that the invitation was based on, the application for ACT 190 nomination will not meet the nomination criteria.

Step 1 – Check your eligibility

Step 2 – Express your interest

Step 3 – Canberra Matrix scoring

Step 4 – Ranking, selection and invitation

Step 5 – Applying for ACT 190 nomination if invited

Step 6 – Document checklist

Step 7 – Assessing the application

Step 8 – Offer of ACT 190 nomination

Step 9 – Applying for the subclass 190 visa

Step 10 – Live in Canberra

Step 11 – Welcome to Canberra settlement service

Overseas residents

Must meet the following minimum criteria before you are eligible to express an interest in ACT 190 nomination:

 If nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation, must demonstrate a ‘Proficient’ level of English as defined by Home Affairs.

 skills and at least 12 months experience in the nominated occupation must be relevant to the ACT economy. Experience in heavy industry, manufacturing, production, mining; shipping, gas and oil, head office banking and railways are not generally considered relevant industries given the structure of the ACT economy which is primarily knowledge-based.

 do not have a genuine ACT job offer in your nominated ‘open’ occupation, you must provide evidence of sufficient ACT employment opportunities in your nominated occupation, relevant to your skill set.

 must sign a statutory declaration committing to living and working in Canberra for at least two years from date of permanent arrival in Australia.

 must have access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Canberra while you seek employment. You need to be realistic about employment expectations once you arrive in Canberra as it can take, on average, up to six months to secure employment. This timeframe is only indicative, as the economy and employment market can vary considerably throughout the year.

Note: client is not eligible for ACT 190 nomination if he/she, or any dependents, are living or have lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months.

Please find attached the new SOL effective 29/11/2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

November 19th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 19th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 19th,2018:

Australian Computer Society (ACS) Update: Office Closure Update

ACS has announced that the ACS office will be closed from 22 December 2018 and will re-open on Monday 7 January 2019.

During this time you will still be able to submit a migration skills assessment application through the online portal. Any email enquires during this closure period will be responded to as soon as possible after they re-open on 7 January 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with ACS.

November 19th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: System maintenance

DHA has announced that the System outage – from 3:10 pm Monday 19th November until 4:10 pm Monday 19th November 2018 AEDT (GMT +11)

The following systems will become unavailable during the above times:

– ImmiAccount

– eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

– Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

– LEGENDcom

– Humanitarian Entrants Management System

– Employment Suitability Clearance

– HAP Lite

– Australian Trusted Trader

– AMEP Reporting and Management System (ARMS)

– Visa pricing estimator

– Detention Visit Application Form

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ message during this time, please try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 16th,2018:

NSW-489 sub class Regional Sponsorship Current Status

Currently the following nine regions are participating in NSW’s 489 program:

Central West – New Regional Authority – Temporarily Closed.

Far South Coast – Currently Sponsoring

Mid North Coast – Temporarily Closed

Murray- Currently Sponsoring

Northern Inland – Currently Sponsoring

Northern Rivers – Temporarily Closed – New Regional Authority added in November 2018 – The details we need to access.

Orana – Temporarily Closed

Riverina – Currently Sponsoring

Southern Inland – Currently Sponsoring

NOTE: All the above mentioned Regional Areas have their own SOLs, application processing, fee (ranging between AUD700-AUD800), criteria & requirements. Most of them require notarized documents.

November 16th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Northern Inland which is one of the 8 Regional Authorities participating in NSW-489 sub class regional sponsorship has announced that the following occupations will be removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List on 22 November, 2018. Applications received before this time will be considered BUT they must be complete applications, with all requirements met or a negative outcome may result:

Baker – 351111

Agricultural Scientist – 234112

NOTE: There are 8 regional authorities which are participating in NSW-489 sub class visa regional sponsorship, every regional area has got its own SOL, application process, fee, requirements & criteria.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with NSW under 489 sub class.

November 13th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List : Current Status of the occupation(s):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 13th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

Northern Inland which is one of 8 regional authorities participating in NSW regional sponsorship under 489 sub class has announced that the following occupations were removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List on 8 November, 2018. Applications received before this time will be considered BUT they must be complete applications, with all requirements met or a negative outcome may result:

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Northern Inland under 489 sub class.

November 9th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 8.30pm Friday 16th November to 10am Saturday 17th November 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 8th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 5am to 8am Friday 9th November 2018

Further they have stated that the clients may experience a brief interruption to ImmiAccount services on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 2pm to 5pm Saturday 10th November 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 6th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the clients may experience a brief interruption to ImmiAccount services on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 2pm to 5pm Saturday 10th November 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 5th,2018:

ACT State Sponsorship Update: reopening on 29 November 2018

The ACT has announced that the ACT 190 Nomination program will reopen on 29 November 2018 with a new process for determining nominated applicants. ACT’s current allocation for 2018/19 is 800 nominations.

The pathway program will continue to be focused on occupations that are listed as ‘in-demand’, and assess a range of factors that support successful settlement and contribution to the ACT economy, such as previous residence and other ties to the ACT, English proficiency, and having a job offer in the ACT.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

November 5th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 2nd,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 2nd,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the clients may experience a brief interruption to ImmiAccount services on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 2pm to 5pm Saturday 3rd November 2018

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* midnight to 4am Monday 5th November 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 1st,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 1st,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 31st,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 31st,2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Change in state sponsorship requirements for ICT Occupations for Offshore Applicants

ICT Occupations:

Queensland has changed its requirements for state sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class for ICT Occupations in case of offshore applicants. The following are basic requirements to be met to file an EOI.

Should have 80 points;

Require minimum post-qualification work experience of 5 years in accordance with ACS skills assessments

Offshore applicants applying under a Cook or Chef occupation must show evidence of a minimum 12 month job offer with a Queensland employer registered in Australia. The job offer must be related to your occupation, and evidence is required showing acceptance of the offer.

NOTE: Earlier the job offer requirement was there even for ICT Occupations for offshore applicants, which has been removed now.

Engineering Occupations:

In case of Engineering Occupations, Offshore applicants should have registration with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland. Occupations Civil Engineer (233211), Electrical Engineer (233311) and Mechanical Engineer (233512) have been removed from the Occupations List for state sponsorship.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

Northern Inland which is one of the 8 Regional Authorities participating in sponsoring 489 sub class has announced that the following occupations will be removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List on Wednesday 7 November, 2018. Applications received before this time will be considered BUT they must be complete applications, with all requirements met or a negative outcome may result:

Vetassess has announced that due to the Christmas shutdown period at VETASSESS and Trades Recognition Australia, anyone completing a technical interview or practical assessment after 7 December 2019 will not receive their assessment outcome until after 11 January 2019.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying under trade occupations for skills assessment with Vetassess.

October 31st,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 5midnight to 4am Monday 5th November 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

October 30th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 30th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 5am to 8am Wednesday 31st October 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

October 26th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that applicants may experience intermittent interruptions to ImmiAccount services on the following dates/times AEDT:

2pm Saturday 27 October to 9am Sunday 28 October 2018

If this occurs, please log out of ImmiAccount and try again later.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

October 25th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 25th,2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Removal of few occupations from the list

Queensland State has announced that the occupations –Civil Engineer (233211), Electrical Engineer (233311) and Mechanical Engineer (233512) are removed from all the Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOLs) on 24 October 2018 as they has received many expressions of interest for these occupations and has filled the quota.

If the client has not received an invitation by 24 October 2018, BSMQ is no longer able to issue any new invitations.

State has further stated that they may open these occupations later if the current invitees do not respond in the required time frame.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 22nd,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 16th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

* 5am to 8am Wednesday 17th October 2018

* 9am to 7pm Sunday 21st October 2018

* midnight to 4am Monday 22nd October 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

October 15th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 10th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 10th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times:

* 5am to 8am AEDT Wednesday 17th October 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

October 9th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class visa.

Northern Inland which is one of the 8 Regional Authorities participating in the 489 sub class regional sponsorship has announced that the following occupations will be removed from the RDA Northern Inland Occupation List by 5pm (AEST) on Thursday 11 October 2018:

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/09/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class visa.

October 3rd, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times:

* 2am AEST to 5am AEDT Sunday 7th October 2018

* 5am to 8am AEDT Wednesday 10th October 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

September 28th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

September 28th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Engineers Australia has announced that the website planned maintenance is scheduled 1st October – 8:00am to 8:00pmAESTmyPortal website – during this time online services will be unavailable. Public website – may become unavailable. Contact Centre will be closed during this time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

September 26th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT:

Western Australia State Sponsorship Update: Skilled Occupation List and Graduate Occupation List Released for 2018

Western Australia State has released the Skilled Occupation List and Graduate Occupation List.

There is no change in the Skilled Occupation List when compared with the previous list.

Western Australian State nomination minimum requirements – General stream

To be considered for an invitation to apply for the State nomination General stream, candidates must:

• have an occupation listed as available and eligible for the intended visa subclass on the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List (WASMOL);

• be able to claim and give evidence of work experience in the Expression of Interest – this requirement can be met through:

»» at least one year of Australian work experience in the nominated (or closely related) occupation over the last 10 years; or

»» at least three years of overseas work experience in the nominated (or closely

related) occupation over the last 10 years;

• meet the following minimum English language requirements;

»» an English language level of ‘proficient’ must be obtained by candidates nominating an ANZSCO Major Occupation Group 1 (Managers) or Group 2 (Professionals) occupation; or

»» for all other eligible occupations an English language level of ‘competent’ must be obtained;

»» candidates who hold a passport from the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, Canada and New Zealand are considered to have met the minimum English language requirements and are exempt from undertaking

an English proficiency test; and

• have a contract of employment for full time employment for at least 12 months in the nominated or closely related occupation, as outlined in Table 1.

Western Australian State nomination minimum requirements – Graduate stream

In addition to the requirements of General Stream the following are the additional requirements to apply for the State nomination Graduate stream candidates must:

• have an occupation listed as available and eligible for the intended visa subclass on the Graduate Occupation List (GOL):

»» Masters and PhD graduates can access all of the occupations on the GOL; and

»» Bachelor and higher degree graduates can access some of the occupations on the GOL.

• have gained a higher education qualification in Western Australia, including a requirement to have completed at least two years of full time study in Western Australia at a Western Australian university;

NOTE: In order to apply for Graduate Stream applicants should meet both the General Stream and Graduate Steam requirements.

Please find attached the Occupation Lists for 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Western Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

September 25th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List :

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for all the state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

September 24th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List in the last 2 weeks:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Victoria State has announced that the Skilled and Business Migration Program (SBMP) of Victoria is making a number of program changes to its skilled visa nomination processes to strengthen targeting, streamline operations and improve customer experience.

The following changes take effect on Monday 10 September 2018.

1. Streamlined pathway for 457 visa holders

The current 457 streamlined processing pathway will be removed.

Eligible 457 visa holders with occupations on the Victorian nomination occupation list may still be eligible to apply for Victorian visa nomination and retain existing alternate pathways to permanent residency.

2. Pathway for International PhD graduates

The current pathway for International PhD graduates will remain. However, there will be a change to processing times from the current fast-tracked two-week processing service to a new standard 12 week processing time.

The 12 week processing time will be applied across all skilled visa nomination applications bringing this pathway in-line with the rest of the skilled migration program.

3. Expanded “Invitation Only” procedure

An “Invitation Only” application procedure will continue to be applied across three industry groups: Information & Communication Technology, Building & Engineering and Nursing, with 457 visa holders and applicants holding valid job offers now subject to this procedure. Victoria has announced that they will continue to periodically invite eligible, high calibre applicants in these industry groups.

There will get further clarity and details regarding the above changes on Monday, 10th September 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

September 7th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Orana which is one of the 8 regional authorities of NSW has announced that due to the extreme number of applications being received via their web portal, effective immediately, RDA Orana will be pausing their application system.

They have further stated that if an applicant currently has an application in process and visa is expiring within 2 weeks, please forward the visa, quoting the RDA reference number to migration@rdaorana.org.au with the subject text RDA Ref no 180*** – Applicant Name – Visa expiring – DD/MM/YYYY

Please do not call or email their office seeking information or updates as this delays assessments.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Orana, NSW under 489 sub class.

August 29th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 28th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Murray which is one of the Regional Authority of NSW participating in sponsoring 489 sub class visa has updated its Skilled Occupations List. Please find attached the new SOL of Murray.

The following changes that have made in SOL:

Occupations REMOVED from List when compared with the previous list

Primary health organisation manager 134213

Orthoptist 251412

Audiologist 252711

Speech pathologist 252712

General Medical Practitioner 253111

Anaesthetist 253211

Specialist physician 253311

Cardiologist 253312

Clinical haematologist 253313

Clinical oncologist 253314

Endocrinologist 253315

Gastroenterologist 253316

Intensive care specialist 253317

Neurologist 253318

Paediatrician 253322

Renal medicine specialist 253322

Rheumatologist 253323

Thoracic medicine specialist 253324

Internal medicine specialist nec 253399

Orthopaedic surgeon 253514

Otorhinolaryngologist 253515

Paediatric surgeon . 253516

Plastic and reconstructive surgeon 253517

Urologist 253518

Vascular surgeon 253521

Dermatologist 253911

Radiation Oncologist . 253918

Registered nurse (development disability) 254416

Teacher-of the hearing impaired 241512

Teacher-of the sight impaired 241513

Teacher-Special education 241599

Surveyor 232212

Occupations ADDED to the List when compared with the previous list

Sonographer 251214

Agricultural Scientist 234112

Stonemason 331112

Joiner 331213

Please note that there are 8 Regional Authorities in NSW which are involved in sponsoring 489 sub class visa, every authority has got its own SOL, requirements & criteria, application process & fee.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Murray under 489 sub class.

August 20th, 2018:

NSW-489-Regional Authority-Central West Update: Temporary closure of sponsorship for all the occupations

Central West which is the new regional authority of NSW participating in 489 sub class nomination has announced that it has temporarily closed all occupations due to the large amount of applications received.

Future updates will be posted on their website.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Central West in NSW under 489 sub class.

August 20th, 2018:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Website under Maintenance

Victoria state has announced that critical maintenance will be carried out on their servers on 20- 21 August 2018. As a result, the site may be unavailable intermittently between 19:00 AEST – 06:00 AEST each day.

They recommend that you don’t start or complete an application during this time as you may lose some information.

Please update all your clients accordingly.

August 20th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

NSW-489 Regional Authority-Central West Update: Announcement of its SOL and application process

We all are aware that there were 7 Regional Authorities earlier and now one more Regional Authority – Central West is also participating in sponsoring NSW 489 sub class visa. We know that every Regional Authority has its own requirements & criteria, SOL, Application Process and Fee.

Central West has released its SOL and the following occupations are currently available:

134111 Child Care Centre Manager

221111 Accountant (general)

221112 Management Accountant

223111 Human Resource Advisor

234112 Agricultural Scientist

241111 Early Childhood Teacher

253111 General Medical Practitioner

254412 Registered Nurse (Aged Care)

254418 Registered Nurse (Medical)

254422 Registered Nurse (Mental Health)

254499 Registered Nurse Nec

261311 Analyst Programmer

263111 Computer Network & Systems Engineer

312211 Civil Engineering Draftsperson (Structural)

321211 Motor Mechanic

331212 Carpenter

351311 Chef

Please find attached the list & the requirements of each occupation.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with Central West under 489 sub class.

August 20th, 2018:

Western Australia State Sponsorship Update: New graduate stream for State nomination

Western Australia has announced that a new graduate stream will be available for eligible applicants for State nomination from Western Australia.

They have stated that information about eligibility and how to apply will be available on the migration portal in coming months.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Western Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

The following list of Cisco Certifications are only accepted by the ACS effective August 2018. Certifications must be valid at the time of submitting the skills assessment and display the validation date.

Cisco Professional:

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – All tracks

Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)

Cisco Expert:

Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE) – All tracks

Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)

Cisco Architect:

Cisco Certified Architect

Earlier they used to also accept the following, which they are not accepting currently.

ACS has also announced that the applicant must satisfy the Australian Study Requirement (ASR) for visa purposes. ACS do not assess whether applicant is meeting the ASR requirement. This will be determined by the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA).

4) Reference Letter or Experience Letter Example:

ACS has changed the reference letter example. However there is NO change in the requirements of the Experience Letter with roles. Please find attached new example updated on their website.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with ACS.

August 17th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Northern Territory state has updated its Skilled Occupations List, there is NO change in the list of occupations when compared with the previous list. However, for the following occupations requirements have been changed.

Accountant (General)

Clinical Psychologist

Counsellors

Customer Services Manager

Educational Psychologist

General Medical Practitioner

ICT Business Development Manager

Nurse Manager

Nurse Practitioner

Occupational Therapist

Primary Health Organisation Manager

Sales and Marketing Manager

Speech Pathologist

Supply and Distribution Manager

Vocational Education Teacher

Please refer to the attached updated list of occupations of NT.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Northern Territory State Sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 16th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 16th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST:

* midnight until 4am on Monday 20th August 2018

* 5am until 8am on Wednesday 22nd August 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

August 10th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 8th, 2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Onshore 489 EOIs

Queensland State has announced that due to the high demand of onshore 489 EOIs received (including Masters Alumni applicants) BSMQ will only be issuing invitation to those applicants that are currently working in regional as well as having ongoing job offers.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 489 sub class.

August 8th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

TRA has announced that the TRA payment gateway within the TRA online portal will be undergoing a period of routine maintenance on Wednesday 15 August 2018 between 1:00 AM – 6:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)

During this time, users will be unable to make payments for TRA services.

Normal service will resume at the conclusion of this maintenance window.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Skills Assessment with TRA.

As we are aware that there are 8 Regional Areas which are involved in NSW Regional Sponsorship under 489 sub class. Far South Coast which is one of the Regional Areas of NSW has updated its SOL for nomination process under 489 sub class.

The following are changes made to the list when compared with the previous list:

Occupations REMOVED from the List

Chief Information Officer-135111

Surveyor-232212

Urban and Regional Planner-232611

Agricultural Engineer-233912

Teacher – Special Education-241599

Chiropractor-252111

Osteopath-252112

Audiologist-252711

Speech Pathologist-252712

Specialist Physician (General Medicine)-253311

Cardiologist-253312

Medical Oncologist-253314

Endocrinologist-253315

Gastroenterologist-253316

Paediatrician-253321

Specialist Physicians NEC-253399

Surgeon (General)-253511

Orthopaedic Surgeon-253514

Dermatologist-253911

Registered Nurse (Developmental Disability)-254417

Occupations ADDED to the List:

Psychiatrist-253411

Enrolled Nurse-411411

Plumber (General)-334111

Gasfitter-334114

Please find attached the new list.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for NSW Regional Sponsorship under 489 sub class.

August 4th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 11/07/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

NOTE: Occupation Ceilings for the financial year 2018-19 have been released there is no change in the numbers when compared with the previous year ceilings.

The following occupations which are popular and the ceilings for these occupations are reaching faster:

NSW State Authority has confirmed that there will be NO longer the Stream -2 Option available for this financial year. This is effective July 2018.

Earlier we used to have Stream -1 and Stream -2, under Stream -1 all the occupations listed in NSW 190 sub class Priority Skilled Occupations List were eligible for nomination and under Stream -2 all the occupations eligible as per MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL were eligible.

For this financial year only Stream -1 option is available, which means the occupation should be listed in NSW 190 sub class Priority Skilled Occupations List in order to lodge an EOI for NSW Sponsorship.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 190 sub class.

NOTE: There is NO update regarding the Stream-2 option that was available for NSW 190 sub class earlier. They have removed the information relating to it from the website and may not be applicable for this year.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 190 sub class.

July 26th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

Current Status of the occupation(s):

323412 -Toolmaker -Low Availability -Competent English- TRA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 25th,2018:

DHA SkillSelect Update: Change in the visa invitation rounds

SkillSelect has announced that the visa invitation rounds for Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) and Skilled – Relative Provisional (subclass 489) will occur once each month, on the 11th day of each month, effective 11 August 2018. There is no change to the overall number of invitations provided each month.

Occupations Ceilings & Occupation Lists are NOT yet published for the year 2018-19.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying under 189 & 489 sub class visa.

July 25th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Victoria University has announced that there will be new skills assessment fee applicable for all the Trade Occupations assessed under TSS (TEMPORARY SKILLS SHORTAGE) and Offshore Skills Assessment Program (PERMANENT MIGRATION).

Please find attached the complete list of new fee applicable effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Victoria University.

July 24th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

July 24th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

July 23rd,2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

Vetassess has announced the following requirements & details regarding the occupation – Occupational Health and Safety Adviser (ANZSCO Code: 251312).

The following are the details & requirements of this occupation:

ANZSCO Job Description:

Occupational Health and Safety Advisers develop, implement and evaluate risk management policies and programs, train employees in occupational health and safety procedures, monitor and audit the workplace, and record and investigate incidents to ensure safe and healthy working conditions.

Occupations not considered under this ANZSCO code:

Environmental Health Officer

Safety Inspector

Occupational Medicine Physician

Vetassess new Criteria & Requirements which are is specific to this occupation:

This occupation requires a qualification assessed as comparable to the educational level of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Bachelor degree or higher degree, in a field highly relevant to the nominated occupation. In addition to this, applicants must have undertaken at least one year of post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years which is highly relevant to the nominated occupation.

OR

If the degree is not in a highly relevant field, and there is an additional qualification at least at AQF Diploma level in a highly relevant field, three years of employment at an appropriate skill level undertaken within the last five years in the nominated occupation are required.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 20th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 9am to 9pm on Sunday 22nd July 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

July 19th,2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Occupation Removed from the List

Queensland has announced that Engineering Technologist (233914) occupation is removed from all the Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOLs) on 16 July 2018 as BSMQ has received large number of EOIs for this occupation and have filled the quota.

If your client has not received an invitation by 16th July 2018, BSMQ is no longer in a position to issue any new invitations

BSMQ may open this occupation at a later date if current invitees do not respond in the requested time frame.

NOTE: All the ICT occupations require job offer from Queensland and Engineering occupations require registration with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please note that there is NO change in the list of occupations when compared with the previous list. However the following changes in requirements have been updated when compared with the previous requirements.

221111- Accountant(General) – Offshore applicants must have an offer of employment from NT

225113 – Marketing Specialist – Offshore applicants must have an offer of employment from NT

224711 – Management Consultant – Offshore applicants must have a minimum of 7 overall of IELTS or equivalent.

233512 – Mechanical Engineer – Offshore applicants must have a minimum of 7 overall of IELTS or equivalent.

311215 – Pharmacy Technician – Offshore applicants must have a minimum of 7 overall of IELTS or equivalent.

251513 – Retail Pharmacist – Offshore applicants must have a minimum of 7 overall of IELTS or equivalent.

232414 – Web Designer – Offshore applicants must have a minimum of 7 overall of IELTS or equivalent.

NOTE: Still for ICT Occupations offshore applicants must have an offer of employment from NT as usual. Please find attached the new NT Skilled Occupations List.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Northern Territory under 190 & 489 sub class.

VETASSESS has announced that effective 20 July 2018 it will be updating the assessment criteria for the occupation of Occupational Health and Safety Adviser (ANZSCO Code 251312). The revised criteria are based on industry research and engagement, and strengthens the alignment with current occupational standards in Australia.

All new skills assessment applications for Occupational Health and Safety Adviser (ANZSCO Code 251312) submitted on or after 20 July, 2018 will be assessed under the new criteria.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with VETASSESS.

July 19th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List in the last few days:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 11th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants for applying state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 11th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: System Issues

South Australia has announced that they are experiencing some systems issues with the 190/489 application form. Some applicants have been unable to upload work experience/qualification documents in the application form.

They stated that if you are unable to upload your work experience/qualification document(s):

Check that the file size is less than 4MB

If you have multiple documents, try scanning them into one document

If you are experiencing difficulties, try using another browser such as Google Chrome

If you are still unable to attach them, email the work experience/qualification documents to gsm.sa@sa.gov.auand include your GSM application reference number.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 11th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

July 10th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

July 10th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 10th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA): Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 2pm until 5pm Saturday 14th July 2018

* midnight until 4am Monday 16th July 2018

Please update all your clients accordingly.

July 9th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List or special conditions apply effective July 2018.

July 9th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 6th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 2pm to 5pm Saturday 7 July 2018

Please update all your clients accordingly.

July 6th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements. Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List effective 1 July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 5th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupations Current Status

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Requirements & Lists Released

South Australia has released it’s State Nominated Occupations List & Supplementary List. Please find attached both these lists.

Please find below all the information relating to South Australia State Sponsorship.

State Nominated Occupations List: All the applicants whose occupation is State Nominated Occupations List and are meeting the requirements can lodge their Expression of Interest (EOI) and subsequently file for State Nomination online with South Australia.

Supplementary List: All the applicants whose occupation is Supplementary List or Special Conditions Apply if meeting any of the following requirements can lodge their Expression of Interest (EOI) and subsequently file for State Nomination online with South Australia.

International graduate of South Australia

Working in South Australia for last 12 months

Immediate family member residing in South Australia in the last 24 months

High Points – 80 points in EOI

The following are changes in the occupations for State Nominated Occupations List:

Occupations ADDED to the new list when compared with the previous list, occupations are highlighted in Yellow:

121216 Mixed Crop Farmer

121318 Pig Farmer

134211 Medical Administrator

141211 Caravan Park and Camping Ground Manager

141311 Hotel or Motel Manager

211311 Photographer

211499 Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals nec

222111 Commodities Trader

222112 Finance Broker

222113 Insurance Broker

224112 Mathematician

231111 Aeroplane Pilot

231113 Flying Instructor

232212 Surveyor

232411 Graphic Designer

232412 Illustrator

232414 Web Designer

242211 Vocational Education Teacher (Trades)

251412 Orthoptist

251511 Hospital Pharmacist

251513 Retail Pharmacist

252511 Physiotherapist

254311 Nurse Manager

254411 Nurse Practitioner

311213 Medical Laboratory Technician

311215 Pharmacy Technician

311216 Pathology Collector

311299 Medical Technicians nec

311411 Chemistry Technician

311412 Earth Science Technician

312311 Electrical Engineering Draftsperson

312312 Electrical Engineering Technician

312911 Maintenance Planner

312999 Building and Engineering Technicians nec

313199 ICT Support Technicians nec

322311 Metal Fabricator

322313 Welder (First Class)

323213 Fitter-Welder

323412 Toolmaker

332111 Floor Finisher

333111 Glazier

333211 Fibrous Plasterer

333212 Solid Plasterer

333411 Wall and Floor Tiler

334111 Plumber (General)

334112 Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber

334115 Roof Plumber

362311 Greenkeeper

391111 Hairdresser

411211 Dental Hygienist

411213 Dental Technician

411214 Dental Therapist

599915 Clinical Coder

612112 Property Manager

612115 Real Estate Representative

Occupations REMOVED from the new List when compared with the previous list:

131112 Sales and Marketing Manager

131113 Advertising Manager

132211 Finance Manager

139911 Art Administrator or Manager

149913 Facilities Manager

224213 Health Information Manager

224711 Management Consultant

224712 Organisation and Methods Analyst

232311 Fashion Designer

234111 Agricultural Consultant

252111 Chiropractor

272412 Interpreter

272413 Translator

272499 Social Professionals nec

312211 Civil Engineering Draftsperson

312212 Civil Engineering Technician

323299 Metal Fitters and Machinists nec

323313 Locksmith

342313 Electronic Equipment Trades Worker

342411 Cabler (Data and Telecommunications)

361311 Veterinary Nurse

511111 Contract Administrator

511112 Program or Project Administrator

Highlights of the changes:

1) Most of the popular occupations are eligible for 489 sub class only.

2) Most of the occupations require Competent Plus or Proficient in each band or Proficient Plus over all is the English language requirement.

3) Few occupations require Research of job opportunities for the applicant’s particular specialisation

4) For ICT occupations minimum requirement if 70 points with Proficient or Proficient Plus in English & are eligible only for 489 sub class visa

5) For few occupations meeting experience requirement of 3 or 5 years is mandatory.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 4th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Changes in the requirements of State Nomination

Immigration South Australia has announced that it will be publishing a revised occupation list for the 2018/19 program year and re-opening the 489/190 application system later this week, as of now we CANNOT apply for state sponsorship.

The following are the changes effective once the application system is open:

High Points Category:

Applicant can apply for South Australia nomination if his/her occupation is in Supplementary List or Special Conditions & has 80 points. High points requirement will be 80 only as of now. This requirement of 80 points might be increased or the occupations might closed for this category based on the quota that is available.

Chain Migration:

Applicant with close relative in South Australia & occupation in Supplementary List or Special Conditions can apply under this category.

Applicants under Chain Migration can apply for state nomination for a provisional 489 visa only as of now.

The immediate family member will need to be residing in South Australia for a minimum of 24 months.

The family member can be an Australian Citizen, permanent resident or a South Australian state nominated 489 provisional visa holder.

Commitment to South Australia:

Immigration SA has retained the requirement that applicants residing interstate are NOT eligible to apply for South Australian state nomination. State nomination is for those who genuinely want to settle in South Australia.

The following changes will apply to applicants with a history of working or studying interstate and are intended to maximize the commitment to settling in South Australia:

Applicants who have studied or worked interstate in the last 10 years (and NOT in South Australia) will only be eligible for State nomination for a provisional 489 visa.

Applicants who have studied or worked in another state (as well as in South Australia) in the last 10 years will only be eligible for State nomination for a provisional 489 visa & for 190 sub class they will look into on a case to case basis depending upon the timespent in South Australia, the most recent Australian location an applicant spent time in, and what they were doing in these locations (i.e. study, work).

International graduates of South Australia

International graduates of South Australia must be currently working for the last three months in a skilled occupation in South Australia (rather than just having commenced working in a skilled occupation in South Australia). This applies to even Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Higher Education graduates, regardless of which occupation list they are applying under. Earlier the requirement was 12 months.

International graduates of South Australia working in their field for the last 6 months in a country region of South Australia are also eligible, earlier the requirement was 12 months.

International graduates of South Australia accessing a work experience waiver via achieving Proficient English or Proficient Plus overall (see international graduate waiver requirements) will now only be eligible to apply for a 489 provisional visa.

Documentation:

All documentation in support of an application must be uploaded in the online application form only, no e-mails will be entertained unless case officer has asked for any additional documents.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

As we are aware that the following are the seven regional areas or authorities of NSW which sponsor for 489 sub class visa.

1. Far South Coast

2. Mid North Coast

3. Murray

4. Northern Inland

5. Orana

6. Riverina

7. Southern Inland

NOTE: All these regional authorities have their own skilled occupation lists, criteria and requirements, application process for sponsorship & fee.

Currently the following are the regions that have updated their Skilled Occupations List for Regional Sponsorship under 489 sub class.

Murray

Northern Inland

Orana

Riverina

Please find attached the new lists of the above mentioned Regional Authorities effective July 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW under 489 sub class.

July 3rd,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupation List Not Available

South Australia has announced that due to the annual update of the occupation list, the list is currently not available on the website. A further update will be available later in the week. They have stated that a news item will be published once the occupation list has been updated.

Please update all your clients accordingly.

July 2nd,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 5am to 8am Wednesday 4 July 2018

Please update all your clients accordingly.

July 2nd,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: New version of website

DHA has announced that they are building a new version of our website. They want to make sure the immigration and citizenship services are simple to use and meet applicant(s) needs.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

July 2nd,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Introduction of GTS

Global Talent Scheme (GTS)

The GTS is a niche pilot scheme under the TSS visa program. The 12 month pilot will run from 1 July 2018.

Introducing the GTS as a pilot allows the Government to make refinements in consultation with industry to ensure it achieves its purpose.

The GTS is only for employers to fill highly-skilled positions that cannot be filled:

by Australian workers

through other visa programs, in particular the short-term and medium-term streams of the TSS visa.

Access to the GTS is not guaranteed. Employer must be able to demonstrate your need to access the scheme. If employer can do this, will be invited to enter into an agreement with the Government under the agreement stream of the TSS visa. Only then will employer be able to sponsor workers for a TSS visa under the GTS.

The GTS

GTS is available where the standard TSS program or other Labour Agreements do not cover needs for high-skill, niche roles. Compared to standard Labour Agreements, the GTS provides faster processing and more flexible concessions. Approved businesses must first meet specific criteria and requirements to be considered for the GTS.

The main features of the GTS are:

2 streams – established business and startups

the ability to negotiate variance from standard TSS visa requirements

agreement processing is prioritised

access to highly-skilled roles for trusted employers – not restricted to occupation lists

visa validity of up to 4 years, and access to permanent residency pathway

negotiable age requirements on permanent residence pathway.

GTS Streams:

Established Business stream allows employers who are accredited sponsors to employ highly-skilled individuals with cutting-edge skills to contribute to innovation in an established business, and help make Australian businesses and their Australian employees the best at what they do.

Startup stream allows employers to sponsor highly-skilled individuals with cutting-edge skills to contribute to Australia’s developing startup ecosystem and bring new ideas, new jobs, new skills and new technology for Australia. This stream is for startups operating in a technology based or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related field. Startups must be endorsed by the independent GTS startup advisory panel.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

July 2nd,2018:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Occupation List Updated

Victoria State Authority has updated the Victoria Skilled Occupation List today. However there are NO changes to the earlier list.

Streamlined pathway to visa nomination

The Victorian Government offers fast-tracked visa nomination for international PhD graduates and current or recent Temporary Worked (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) holders.

Temporary Work visa holders can get their visa nomination applications fast-tracked.

To apply through the streamlined pathway applicant need to:

have an occupation on the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Victoria

have worked for a minimum of one of the last three years in Victoria in your nominated occupation with one or more Victorian businesses

have an IELTS score of 6.0 in each band (or equivalent)

meet all other visa nomination eligibility requirements.

International PhD graduates can get their visa nomination applications fast tracked.

To be eligible, applicant need either, a:

completed PhD from a Victorian university: You may nominate any occupation that is eligible for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa on the Department of Home Affairs’ Migration (IMMI 18/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2018

completed PhD of a recognised standard (as determined by the relevant skill assessing authority) from an overseas university or an Australian university outside of Victoria: In a field relating to an occupation on the Visa Nomination Occupations List for Victoria in the past five years.

Other requirements include:

an English language test with a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 in each band or equivalent

registration requirements for certain occupations. Refer to the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Victoria for more details

a skills assessment. PhD applicants are not required to have any previous work experience, but some skill assessing authorities require at least twelve months of work experience in order to obtain a full skills assessment.

This streamlined pathway offers fast-tracked processing of applications with assessment made within two weeks.

Applicants must include evidence of your PhD completion.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

Queensland has announced that their state sponsorship process has been opened for General Skilled Migration applicants.

The following are requirements for offshore applicants:

BSMQ criteria requires the applicant to:

have an occupation on the QSOL for applicants ‘Not currently working in Queensland’ (offshore);

satisfy specialisation or other requirements for certain occupations;

provide evidence that you have a minimum of 2 years’ post-qualification work experience in your nominated occupation (or higher if required)

commit to living and working in Queensland from the date that you arrive in Queensland to live permanently; and

where job offers are required they must be related to your occupation, and evidence is required showing acceptance of the offer.

Labour hire companies must provide evidence that they are registered in Queensland (incl overseas companies)

Please note: if you are an overseas PhD graduate, applicant may be eligible for a work experience waiver if he/she has a minimum 12 month job offer with a Queensland employer registered in Australia. The job offer must be related to your occupation, and evidence is required showing acceptance of the offer.

In addition to the above the applicant has to meet the minimum basic requirements of DHA.

The following are occupations added to the new Queensland Occupations List for Offshore applicants.

NOTE: Queensland has different occupations lists for the following categories:

1) Applicant working in Queensland

2) Offshore applicants

3) Master’s graduate from QLD University

4) PhD graduate from QLD University

Please find attached the Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists for all the categories.

PhD graduates from QLD University may be eligible for the Skilled Nomination (Permanent) visa (subclass 190), allowing applicants to live and work in Queensland permanently. To be eligible for Queensland skilled visa state nomination, applicants occupation must be listed on the DIBP’s relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 2nd, 2018:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Accepting Sponsorship Applications

Victoria State has announced that the Skilled and Business Migration Program is now accepting Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) and Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) nomination applications.

A new application process applies to engineering and building, as well as nursing occupations. We need to follow the process that we follow for ICT Occupations even for engineering and building, nursing occupations.

NOTE: There is NO change in the Victoria Skilled Occupations List as of now

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 sub class.

ACT has announced the following regarding the state nomination process:

Canberra residents:

Applicants are eligible to apply for ACT 190 nomination if their nominated occupation is listed as ‘open’on the current ACT Occupation List.

Applicants are NOT eligible to apply for ACT 190 nomination if their nominated occupation is listed as ‘closed ‘on the current ACT Occupation List.

Overseas residents:

The ACT 190 nomination program remains closedfor overseas applicants without close ties to Canberra, and is also now closed to overseas applicants with close tiesto Canberra.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

June 29th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Changes to Immi Account effective 30 June 2018

1) Reminder for Partner visa applicants ready second stage:

Partner Visa applicants need to contact through call or e-mail regarding their second stage any more.

Reminder will be sent by the department for all the Partner visa applicants who have been granted their first stage visa can submit the information for their permanent visa two years after their original application was lodged.

The reminder also contains the Application Reference number, which must be entered into the second stage application form as the ‘Related Application ID’, to allow the lodgement via ImmiAccount.

2) Regular correspondence sent to Partner visa applicants:

Automated correspondence reassuring applicants that their application is still being processed will be sent to Temporary Partner visa (subclasses 309, 820) applicants when:

–they have submitted their application after 1 January 2017

–their visa application remains undecided after twelve months

–they haven’t received correspondence from the Department in the last six weeks

–there has not been a relationship breakdown

–the application is not finalised or under review

3) Pre-lodgement attachments for Business & Skilled visa:

Applicants will be able to attach documents before submitting their applications for the following subclasses:

–Employer Nomination Scheme (sub class 186 and 187)

–Skilled Migration –points (sub class 189, 190, 489)

–Skilled Migration (regional RE and SE) (sub class 489)

–Business Innovation and Investment (RE and SE) (sub class 188)

–Business Innovation and Investment (sub class 888).

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa under the sub classes – 189, 190, 489, 186, 187, 188, 888, 309, 820.

June 27th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: GSM Change in points requirement

South Australia has announced that the Department of Home Affairs have made a legislative change to the points test pass mark for 189, 190 and 489 visas. The points test pass mark will increase to 65 points from 1 July 2018.

This affects applicants who receive a 190 or 489 visa invitation on or after 1 July 2018.

Immigration SA is currently priority processing before 1 July 2018:

489 state nomination applications with 60 points

If Immigration SA finishes processing the priority applications above, the following will be prioritised:

Onshore 190 applications with 60 points.

Followed byoffshore 190 applicationswith 60 points.

They have stated that they will provide further communication next week regarding state nomination applications with 60 points which haven’t been finalised this week.

NOTE: If any applicant’s 190 state nomination application with 60 points is being finalised after 1 July 2018, they will contact regarding changing to a 489 state nomination application.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applied for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 06/06/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

The following is the current status of invitations for the most popular occupation groups & their ceilings after the above invitation round:

Northern Inland which is one of the Regional Authorities of NSW has announced that it has temporary closed the application processing and will reopen only on 1 July 2018. Applications can be still be lodged till 30 June 2018, however they will processed only after 1 July 2018.

Further it has stated that the following occupations will be removed from the RDA Northern Inland list on 1 July, 2018:

Secondary School Teacher

Quantity Surveyor

Applications received for these occupations before 12 pm 30 June 2018 will be considered for nomination. Applications received after that time and date will not be successful.

Orana Update:

Orana which is yet another Regional Authority of NSW has announced that they are temporarily closing applications until 1 July 2018, with application process for 489 visas to be re-opened on 1 July 2018. We cannot lodge a new application till 1 July, 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 489 sub class region sponsored visa.

Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection has announced that there will be increase in the Visa Application Charges (VAC) for various types of visas effective 1st July 2018.

South Australia has announced that to complete system updates for the new program year Immigration SA has closed the state nomination 190/489 application system from 9am on Monday 25 June 2018 and will re-open in the first week of July (the date and time will be confirmed at the start of July).

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

June 22nd, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupation(s) to its Skilled Occupation List:

Current Status of the occupation(s):

252711- Audiologist- Special Conditions Apply-Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- 3 years work experience in field -VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

South Australia has announced that to complete system updates for the new program year Immigration SA will be closing the state nomination 190/489 application system from 9am on Monday 25 June and will re-open in the first week of July (the date and time will be confirmed at the start of July).

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 21st, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 21st, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 21st, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

Please find attached the detailed list of fee applicable. This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

June 19th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Changes to lodgement methods for Family Stream visa applications

DHA has announced that effective 1 July 2018 there will be changes to how and where to lodge certain Family Stream visa applications.

Partner and Prospective Marriage

Applications for Partner and Prospective Marriage (subclass 820, 801, 309, 100 & 300) visas must be lodged online via ImmiAccount. Payment of the visa application charge will also need to be made online via the ImmiAccount portal. Applicant(s) can no longer apply for these visas in person. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Other family

All applications for Other Family visas will need to be sent by post or courier service to the Perth Visa and Citizenship Office. Applicant(s) will no longer be able to lodge application at one of their overseas offices or contracted Service Delivery Partners. This includes:

Carer (subclass 116 and 836) visas,

Remaining Relative (subclass 115 and 835) visas, and

Aged Dependent Relative (subclass 117 and 838) visas.

Application and sponsorship forms for Other Family visas are available on the Home Affairs website. Payment of the visa application charge can be made online through the ImmiAccountportal. Online lodgement is not currently available for Other Family visas, completed forms must be sent to the processing office in Perth.

Unfinalised applications which were lodged at an overseas office are currently being transferred to the Perth processing office, applicants will be notified when their application has been transferred.

Parent

Parent visa applicants (subclasses 103, 804, 173, 143, 884 and 864) must send their completed visa applications to the Perth Visa and Citizenship Office by post or courier. Applicant(s) can no longer lodge a Parent visa application in person.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Partner, Parent & other family visas.

June 19th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Closure of State Nomination for 190 & 489 subclass effective 25 June 2018

South Australia has announced that to complete system updates for the new program year Immigration SA will be closing the state nomination 190/489 application system from 9 am on Monday 25 June 2018 and will re-open in the first week of July (the date and time will be confirmed at the start of July).

If any applicant has commenced a 190/489 application, will need to submit & pay for the application prior to the system being closed.

From 9 am on 25 June, incomplete applications will be deleted, this includes applications that have been “saved but not submitted” and applications that have been “submitted but are still awaiting payment”.

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 subclass.

June 19th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 1.30pm Saturday 30 June 2018 to 9am 1 July 2018

Please update all your clients accordingly.

June 15th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 15th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

New South Wales has announced that they have filled their program for the 2017-18 financial year. They will not send any further invitations to apply for NSW nomination before 30 June 2018. They have further stated that they will assess all received applications.

NSW will announce the opening of their program in the 2018-19 financial year.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW under 190 sub class.

June 14th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 13th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 8th, 2018:

Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) Skills Assessment Update: Change in the documentation & introduction of new pathway-4

AIQS has updated its policies & procedures and the following changes have been announced. These are applicable for all the applicants going for skills assessment under Quantity Surveyor occupation ANZSCO-233213 with AIQS effective 1st July 2018.

1) New Pathway 4 has been introduced: This pathway-4 is applicable for Current financial Corporate member of AIQS or Recognised Association with Minimum one Year of Employment

2) The following documents are required in addition to the earlier documentation for skills assessment process with AIQS:

We now need all the Certified Color Copies of the documents.

Certified colour copy of current passport

Certified colour copy of a clear passport photo taken within the last 4 weeks

Colour copies of each supervisor’s qualifications

If going for assessment under above mentioned new pathway-4 then the following additional documents are required:

A colour copy of the AIQS or Recognised Association membership certificate with a current letter on letterhead stating that you are are financial corporate member with no outstanding complaints against the applicant.

Proof of CPD compliance as indicated by AIQS.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AIQS.

June 8th, 2018:

Holiday Update: 11th June 2018 – Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday

Most of the Australia Authorities have announced that they will be closed on Monday 11th June for the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday and will reopen as normal on Tuesday 12th June 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment.

June 8th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Changes to visa lodgement methods for the Working Holiday Maker visa program

DHA has announced that from 1 July 2018, there are changes to the method of lodgement for the Working Holiday Maker Program

From 1 July 2018, there will be changes to the way Work and Holiday visa applications are lodged.

The following applications must be lodged online through ImmiAccount:

Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applications

Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applications from Argentina, Slovakia, Spain, the United States, and Uruguay

Second Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applications.

From 1 July 2018, all first Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) applications for Israeli passport holders must be sent to Berlin for processing.

NOTE: The above visas are NOT applicable for India passport holders.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 417, 462 sub class visas.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 23/05/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Highlighted in yellow are reaching much faster.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

TRA has announced that Migration Skills Assessment and Migration Points Advice programs are currently experiencing a major increase in application rates and there is a delay in processing them. This increase is affecting processing times and most assessments are now taking longer than 90 days to complete.

TRA has apologized and has asked not to contact regarding the status of the applications. Further they has stated to allow them 120 days to receive an outcome.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with TRA.

June 5th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 5th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Department of Jobs & Small Business, Government of Australia is reviewing the changes to Skilled Occupation Lists and also consulting all the concerned parties. As per them the attached changes might take place to Skilled Occupations List.

NOTE: The attached is just an indication of changes that might take place to Skilled Occupation List in July 2018. As of now there is no update from Department of Home Affairs (DHA) regarding the changes in the Skilled Occupations Lists – MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL. Further The Department of Jobs & Small Business is consulting all the parties & reviewing the changes. We need to wait for an update from DHA regarding the changes.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class visa.

May 31st, 2018:

South Australia State Update: Removal of 405 Investor Retiree visa

The Australian Commonwealth Government has advised that the 405 Investor Retiree visa option will no longer be available from 1st June 2018.

The 405 Investor Retirement Renewal nomination remains open for existing South Australian State Nominated Investor Retirees until further notification from the Commonwealth Government.

Please note that Immigration SA will be providing further communication to existing 405 visa holders when made available by the Department of Home Affairs.

Anyone with a pending application is asked to contact Immigration SA urgently at bmu.sa@sa.gov.au, as applications will close today.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 405 sub class visa.

May 31st, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 2pm Saturday 2 June to 9am Sunday 3 June 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 28th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 24th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 24th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 09/05/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

May 22nd, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 5am – 8am Wednesday 23 May 2018

Please be advised that the following websites and systems will be unavailable Wednesday 23 May 2018:

www.homeaffairs.gov.au

www.minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/peterdutton

www.minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/alantudge

www.minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/angustaylor

www.minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/alexhawke

ImmiAccount

eMedical services for:

Canada and New Zealand

BUPA

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 21st, 2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Invitations for skilled applications are still currently suspended.

Queensland State Authorities have announced that they currently have a backlog of applications and is temporarily suspending issuing new invitations for skilled applications until July 2018. Please note applicant(s) will have to lodge a new Expression of Interest (EOI) in July 2018 to be considered for skilled state nomination. BSMQ will not be assessing EOIs lodged prior to the program re-opening. They stated to monitor their website in the upcoming weeks.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

Victoria State Authorities have announced that they are currently experiencing a very high volume of applications for visa nomination for skilled migration. To help us manage this demand, and meet their service commitments, they are not accepting any new applications at this time.

Further they have stated that they will continue to assess all nomination applications received prior to 15 May 2018, however delays may occur in providing outcomes for these applications.

Please note that this is only a temporary measure to manage current demand and encourage to check their website in the coming weeks to stay up-to-date and apply for skilled migration visa nomination when applications reopen.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 15th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 15th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the Department’s website will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 00.01am – 4am Monday 21 May 2018

* 5am – 8am Wednesday 23 May 2018

Applicants will be able to access ImmiAccount during this period, by saving the URL: https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login as a bookmark in their web browser.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 14th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 12th, 2018:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Temporarily suspends issuing new invitations for business and skilled applications

Queensland Authority (BSMQ) has announced that currently they have a backlog of applications and is temporarily suspending issuing new invitations. Please note that they will not be accepting any more Expression of Interests (EOIs) until further notice.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class visa.

May 10th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 18/04/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Highlighted in yellow are reaching much faster.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 7th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 04/04/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Highlighted in yellow are reaching much faster.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 23rd, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 2pm to 5pm on Saturday 28 April 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

April 20th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 19th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* midnight to 4am Monday 23 April 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

April 16th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless applicant meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 30th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 23rd, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

* 2pm to 5pm on Saturday 28 April 2018

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

April 20th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

April 19th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Update: Planned Systems Maintenance

DHA has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times (AEST):

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AASW.

April 12th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: New Entrepreneur Visa may be trialled in South Australia

South Australia has announced that a new visa arrangements that allow State Governments to partner with business incubators in attracting foreign entrepreneurs to Australia will be piloted in South Australia, before a national rollout in 2019.

Under this initiative, foreign entrepreneurs and investors with an innovative idea and a supporting business plan will be able to apply for a temporary visa to take forward their venture in Australia.

Applicants will not need capital backing, unlike the current Entrepreneur Visa which requires demonstrated funding of at least $200,000.

Instead, applicant’s proposals will be vetted by State or Federal Government entities, with these entities able to partner with incubators and accelerators to identify potential applicants for nomination.

Entrepreneurs who are successful in establishing their business venture in Australia will become eligible to apply for permanent residence.

The South Australian Government is working with the Department of Home Affairs on the implementation details for the visa which will be available in the 2018-19 program year.

As of now still there are no concrete measures have been taken up in this regard and we need to wait for further updates from DHA or South Australia.

This update is applicable for applicants willing to apply for a Entrepreneur Visa with South Australia.

AITSL has announced that on 1 July 2018 the following AITSL Assessment for Migration fees will change; assessment application fee, appeal fee, and skilled employment statement (SES) fee. The fee for an additional copy of an assessment outcome will remain the same.

The new fees apply to all applications post marked 1 July 2018 onwards. Applications postmarked up to and including 30 June 2018 will pay the 2017 fee.

1. Assessment of applications – AUD830

2. Appeal of assessment outcome – AUD830

3. Skilled employment statement (SES)* -AUD224

4. Copy of assessment outcome – AUD95

*A fee applies when a SES is requests after the issue of an assessment outcome or an applicant wants a previous SES to be revised/updated to include additional employment.

Note regarding Goods and services tax (GST) – No GST is charged on any AITSL Assessment for Migration fee. The above fees are final.

April 2nd, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has added the following occupations to its Skilled Occupation List:

Current Status of the occupation(s):

254418- Registered Nurse (Medical)- Special Conditions Apply- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- 5 years work experience in field -ANMAC

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

As we are aware that there are 7 regional areas or authorities in NSW state. Riverina, Southern Inland & Far South Coast are the regional areas of NSW which have updated their skilled occupation lists. There are no major changes.

Please note that every regional area of NSW will have its own occupation list, application process, fee and other requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with NSW Regional Areas under 489 subclass.

March 29th, 2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Change in the Supplementary & Skilled Occupations Lists

South Australia has announced that as per the recent announcement by Australian Government which has released a new Regional Occupation List applying to state nomination on 18 March 2018, with all occupations eligible for a 489 visa only.

Immigration SA has updated its Supplementary Skilled List (SSL) with the majority of these additions and five of these occupations have been added to the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL).

The next updated SNOL is expected to be released in early July 2018.

The following occupations have been added to State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL)

ANZSCO Occupation

232413 multimedia designer

272413 translator

312511 mechanical engineering draftsperson

324311 vehicle painter

362411 nurseryperson

The following occupations have been added to Supplementary Skilled List (SSL)

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 March 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 90 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

As we are aware that there are 7 regional areas or authorities in NSW state. Riverina & Far South Coast are the two regional areas of NSW which have updated their skilled occupation lists. There are no major changes.

Please note that every regional area of NSW will have it’s own occupation list, application process, fee and other requirements.

Please find attached the updated lists.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 489 sub class regional sponsored visa with Riverina and Far South Coast.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category has been increased to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 07/03/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also, find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Highlighted in yellow are reaching much faster.

Engineers Australia has announced that due to the high demand request for Fast Track service, Engineers Australia has to extend its Fast Track processing timeframe. From 1st April 2018, the Fast Track applications will be assigned to an assessor for processing within 20 working days.

Please update all your clients accordingly.

March 19th, 2018:

Department of Home Affairs: New Temporary Skill Shortage visa introduced

DHA has announced that effective 18th March 2018 the new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 subclass visa now replaces the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457).

Highlights of Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 subclass visa

The Streams:

Short-Term Stream – Occupation should be in STSOL and normally valid for 2 years only

Medium Term Stream – Occupation should be in Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) and normally valid for 4 years only

Labour Agreement Stream – This stream is available if your employer wishes to sponsor you (as an overseas worker) and has entered into a labour agreement with the Department.

Basic Eligibility Requirements:

have been nominated for a position by an approved sponsor and that nomination has been approved.

meet any required skills and qualifications requirements including completing any skills assessments required

have substantially complied with any conditions that apply or applied to your last visa

meet health and character requirements

meet the requirements of the stream in which you apply.

have worked in your nominated occupation, or a related field, for at least two years

Steps Involved:

Step 1: a sponsorship application by the employer

Step 2: a nomination application for a skilled position by the employer

Step 3: a visa application by the proposed employee

The three steps above must be completed in order.

What you can do:

This visa allows you to travel to and from Australia for the duration of your visa and:

if you are the primary visa holder, to work in Australia for an approved sponsor in your nominated occupation

if you are a family member, to work and study in Australia.

How long the visa lasts

This visa is a temporary visa. It lets you and any member of your family unit who has also been granted this visa to remain in Australia for the period specified in your visa grant notification.

Costs:

For the visa applicant (that is, the nominee) the costs are:

short-term stream applicants: from AUD1150

medium-term and labour agreement stream applicants: from AUD2400.

There is also a fee for additional family members who are coming to Australia with you.

Note: your employer is required to pay for any costs associated with the sponsorship and nomination applications. These costs must not be passed onto you.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 457 subclass visa.

March 12th, 2018:

TRA Skills Assessment Update: Changes to assessment process for few of the occupations.

TRA has announced that effective 27 March 2018, if any application is seeking a skills assessment in one of the following licensed occupations: Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic, Electrician (General), Electrician (Special Class) and Plumber (General), must have your skills assessed by a registered training organisation approved by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA-approved RTO) under the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP).

Applicant will no longer be eligible for assessment under the TRA Migration Skills Assessment Program. Successful OSAP applicants receive an outcome letter for migration and an Offshore Technical Skills Records (OTSR) to meet state and territory licensing requirements.

TRA-approved RTOs offering skills assessment services for the licensed trades can be found through the RTO Finder on the TRA website.

If there is no assessment centre in applicant’s country of residence, are required to travel to the nearest TRA-approved RTO assessment centre in you geographic region for a skills assessment. Applicant should ensure the assessment centre you choose offers skills assessments in your nominated occupation before starting a skills assessment process.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with TRA.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

March 5th, 2018:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 21/02/2018

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 21/02/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 20th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

224213- Health Information Manager- Special Conditions Apply-Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall);- Offshore applicants Provisional 489 visa only-VETASSESS We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 19th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Changes to High Points Category

Immigration SA has announced that they have received a high volume of applications for the high points category and will be monitoring applications received over the coming weeks.

They have stated that would like to advise prospective applicants and migration agents that the following steps will be taken:

– Once we are close to reaching the ‘high points’ category quota, the minimum points requirement will be automatically increased to 90 points.

– Once the quota is reached, the ‘high points’ category will be closed for the rest of the 17/18 program year (until 30 June 2018). Notification of this closure will be posted on our website.

From today, the occupations listed below are no longer available for nomination under the high points category (this applies to applications submitted on or after 19 February 2018):

132211 Finance Manager

221111 Accountant (General)

221112 Management Accountant

221113 Taxation Accountant

221213 External Auditor

222112 Finance Broker

222199 Financial Brokers nec

222211 Financial Market Dealer

222299 Financial Dealers nec

222311 Financial Investment Adviser

222312 Financial Investment Manager

225113 Marketing Specialist

The other three categories for accessing the Supplementary Skilled List and Special Conditions occupations will still be available for applications.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

NSW has amended the skilled occupation list the following are the changes that have taken place. There are 7 regional areas or authorities which have their own occupation lists, application process and requirements.

121216 – Mixed Crop Farmer – Removed from Northern Inland which is one of the regional areas.

233513 – Production or Plan Engineer – Removed from all the regions, earlier it was being sponsored by Northern Inland which is one of the regional areas.

254499 – Registered Nurses nec – Removed from Northern Inland which is one of the regional areas.

321211 – Motor Mechanic (General) – Removed from Northern Inland which is one of the regional areas.

351411 – Cook – Removed from Northern Inland which is one of the regional areas.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Regional Sponsorship with NSW Regions under 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 12th,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DIBP earlier) Update: System Maintenance

Department of Home Affairs has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

A selection of Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the Migrant Investment Category, Investor (Investor 2 category), took place on Thursday 8 February, 2018.

9 EOIs were selected from the EOI pool which claimed between 39 & 105 points.

The next draw will be held on Thursday 22 February 2018.

EOIs should be received by BMB before the COP on the Monday preceding the draw. Up to 25 applications with the highest points value will be selected from that draw and each fortnightly draw thereafter until further notice.

Please note that all the applications for New Zealand SMC visa should be applied through licensed New Zealand Immigration agents only.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 18/01/2018. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

February 1st,2018:

Department of Home Affairs (DIBP earlier) Update: CURRENT SYSTEM ISSUE

Department of Home Affairs has announced that some users have reported that they have not received acknowledgement or grant letters for applications lodged via ImmiAccount.

Technical teams have identified an intermittent issue, and are working to resend correspondence. They have stated to continue monitor ‘Application Mailbox’ within ImmiAccount.

If the application status is ‘granted’ but cannot view letter, applicant can use VEVO to view visa grant and entitlements

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

January 30th,2018:

NSW Regional Sponsorship Update: Change in occupation list of Northern Inland which is one of the 7 regions of NSW.

Northern Inland announced that they have updated their skilled occupation list for 489 sub class and Production or Plant Engineer” (ANZSCO code 233513) has been removed from this list. Applications received before 29 January 2018 will be considered for nomination.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for regional sponsorship with Northern Inland, NSW under 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

A selection of Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the Migrant Investment Category, Investor (Investor 2 category), took place on Thursday 25 January 2018.

9 EOIs were selected from the EOI pool which claimed between 25 & 100 points.

The next draw will be held on Thursday 8 February 2018.

EOIs should be received by BMB before the COP on the Monday preceding the draw. Up to 25 applications with the highest points value will be selected from that draw and each fortnightly draw thereafter until further notice.

Please note that all the applications for New Zealand SMC visa should be applied through licensed New Zealand Immigration agents only.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

A selection of Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the Migrant Investment Category, Investor (Investor 2 category), took place on Thursday 25 January 2018.

9 EOIs were selected from the EOI pool which claimed between 25 & 100 points.

The next draw will be held on Thursday 8 February 2018.

EOIs should be received by BMB before the COP on the Monday preceding the draw. Up to 25 applications with the highest points value will be selected from that draw and each fortnightly draw thereafter until further notice.

Please note that all the applications for New Zealand SMC visa should be applied through licensed New Zealand Immigration agents only.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. Effective 1 February 2018, Immigration SA’s High Points category will increase to 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class

January 17th,2018:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Occupation Added & Changes to High Points Category

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

The following occupation has been added to the list as per yesterday’s announcement:

Applicants who can achieve 85 points or higher (including state nomination points) can gain access to the Supplementary Skilled List (SSL) and occupations on the State Nominated Occupation List which are listed as ‘Special Conditions Apply’. Applicants must meet all other South Australian state nomination requirements to qualify.

Quotas apply to nominations in the High Points category. Once this quota is reached, applications under this category may be closed for certain occupations.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Department of Home Affairs (DIBP Earlier) has announced yesterday the below changes to the occupation list. Please find attached the amended MLTSSL & STSOL.

Occupations added to the lists:

The three occupations below, which were previously unavailable on either list, will be added to the STSOL. Details of any caveats applicable to these three occupations are also provided below.

Note: To align the Training (subclass 407) visa with other visa programs, a number of occupations which were previously not eligible for this visa will be available when the instrument comes into effect.

Property Manager*** – 612112

Psychotherapist – 272314

Real Estate Representative*** -612115

***Caveats applicable to the above occupations if you are applying under 457 & 186 sub class.

***Caveats applicable to these occupations if you are applying under 457 & 186 sub class

No occupations will be moved from the MLTSSL to the STSOL.

Occupations removed from the lists

The two occupations listed below will be completely removed from the lists of eligible skilled occupations for all skilled visa programs on 17 January 2018.

Building Associate – 312112

Hair or Beauty Salon Manager -142114

Occupations with caveat-only changes for 457 & 186 sub class

The six occupations listed below will remain on their existing lists. A new and/or amended caveat will, however, be in effect as of 17 January 2018 as outlined below.

Accommodation and Hospitality Managers nec*** –141999

Management Accountant***- 221112

Massage Therapist***- 411611

Recruitment Consultant*** – 223112

Supply and Distribution Manager***- 133611

Taxation Accountant*** – 221113

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190, 489, 457 & 186 sub class visas.

January 16th,2018:

TRA Skills Assessment Update: Delays in processing time

TRA has announced that they are currently experiencing a high number of application and document submissions across all programs. This is resulting in some delays in the processing of documents and registration of applications.

All documents and applications will be processed in order of receipt and an acknowledgement email will be sent to you.

If you have not received acknowledgement of your documents or applications by 1 February 2018, please contact TRA. They have stated not to contact TRA about the status of your documents before this date.

Department of Home Affairs (DIBP Earlier) has announced the below changes to the occupation list.

Occupations added to the lists:

The three occupations below, which were previously unavailable on either list, will be added to the STSOL. Details of any caveats applicable to these three occupations are also provided below.

Note: To align the Training (subclass 407) visa with other visa programs, a number of occupations which were previously not eligible for this visa will be available when the instrument comes into effect.

Property Manager*** – 612112

Psychotherapist – 272314

Real Estate Representative*** -612115

Caveats applicable to the above occupations

Occupations moved between the lists:

The two occupations below will be moved from the STSOL to the MTLSSL.

Horse Breeder*** -121316

Management Consultant*** – 224711

Caveats applicable to the above occupations

No occupations will be moved from the MLTSSL to the STSOL.

Occupations removed from the lists

The two occupations listed below will be completely removed from the lists of eligible skilled occupations for all skilled visa programs on 17 January 2018.

Building Associate – 312112

Hair or Beauty Salon Manager -142114

Occupations with caveat-only changes

The six occupations listed below will remain on their existing lists. A new and/or amended caveat will, however, be in effect as of 17 January 2018 as outlined below.

Department of Home Affairs (DIBP earlier) Update: Planned System Maintenance

Department of Home Affairs has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 9am until 9pm Saturday 13 January 2018

LEGENDCom will also be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

* 9am until 9pm Sunday 14 January 2018

Wednesdays

7–7.40 am AEDT, website might become unavailable.

5–8 am AEDT, the following systems might become unavailable:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

January 12th,2018:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Temporary closure

As we all know that Victoria has temporarily closed Applications for engineering and building occupations from 16 October 2017 to 12 January 2018.

Please note this temporary closure has now been extended. Applications will reopen on 5 February 2018.

They have stated that due to a large volume of visa nomination applications received, applications for engineering and building occupations on the Visa Nomination Occupation List for Victoria will not be accepted from 16 October 2017 to 4 February 2018.

Applicants who hold an offer of employment in Victoria in their nominated occupation or meet the streamlined PhD or 457 pathways are not affected by this closure and may apply for these engineering and building occupations during this time.

The occupations affected by the temporary closure are:

312112 Building Associate

233211 Civil Engineer

312211 Civil Engineering Draftsperson

233311 Electrical Engineer

312311 Electrical Engineering Draftsperson

233512 Mechanical Engineer

233914 Engineering Technologist

All applications received prior to 16 October 2017 will be assessed against the guidelines that applied at time of application and an outcome will be provided in due course.

Applications for all other occupations eligible for Victorian Government visa nomination remain open.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

January 10th,2018:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 20/12/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 20/12/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

Department of Home Affairs(DIBP earlier) has announced that Invitation rounds for Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) and Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) visas will be offered twice monthly. Dates for the rounds are subject to change.

The next invitation round is anticipated to run on 17 January 2018.

Invitation numbers in each round may vary depending on the number of applications being processed by the department.

Note: State or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas will not be impacted.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

January 9th,2018:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Site outage 10-11 January 2018

Victoria State has announced that critical maintenance will be carried out on their servers on Wednesday 10 – Thursday 11 January 2018. As a result, the site may be unavailable intermittently between 21.00 to 06.00 AEDT.

They recommend that you don’t start or complete an application during this time as you may lose some information.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

Currently the above occupation has been completely removed from the list. May be it might have happened in error or it could be that they have removed it from the list.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 21st,2017:

DIBP Update: Incorporation of Department of Home Affairs

The Department of Home Affairs incorporates the full suite of functions previously undertaken by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the following additional functions:

A selection of Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the Migrant Investment Category, Investor (Investor 2 category), took place on Thursday 14 December 2017.

11 EOIs were selected from the EOI pool which claimed between 30 & 100 points.

This is the last draw for 2017. The first draw for 2018 will be held on Thursday 11 January 2018.

EOIs should be received by BMB before the COP on the Monday preceding the draw. Up to 25 applications with the highest points value will be selected from that draw and each fortnightly draw thereafter until further notice.

Please note that all the applications for New Zealand SMC visa should be applied through licensed New Zealand Immigration agents only.

AACA office will be closed from 2pm on Wednesday, 20 December 2017 and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday, 2 January 2018. Email inquires will not be monitored during the closure, but they will respond as soon as possible when they return.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AACA.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 15th,2017:

IPA Skills Assessment Update: Christmas Closing Dates

IPA has announced that their offices will be closed from 12 noon on Friday December 22, 2017 and will reopen at 9am on Monday the 8th of January 2018. No applications will be processed during this time.

They recommend to all applicants who require a Fast Track outcome with Australia Study before their closing date to submit applications no later than Tuesday the 19th of December, 2017.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with IPA.

December 15th,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupation Ceilings

DIBP has updated the occupation ceilings for the year 2017-18. Please go through the following occupational group ceilings which are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 09/11/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

Queensland State Sponsorship has announced that BSMQ will be closed from the 23 December 2017 to 2 January 2018 for the holiday break. We appreciate your patience with the slower processing and assessment time during December 2017 and January 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 12th,2017:

Australian Medical Council (AMC) Update: Office Closure

AMC has announced that the offices of the Australian Medical Council will be closed from 12pm AEDT on Friday 22nd December 2017 and will reopen at 9am AEDT on Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AMC.

December 12th,2017:

DIBP Update: Current Issues

12th December

DIBP has announced that due to increased volumes being experienced at the moment users might experience delays in applications lodging into our systems. This will delay the status being updated and affect clients seeking to lodge related applications. They are working to resolve this issue as quickly as they can and apologise for any inconvenience.

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Some users are experiencing an error message when downloading their health forms. Technical teams are investigating the issue.

Users that encounter the error ‘This service is temporarily unavailable’ should try again later.

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

ANMAC has announced that the Skilled Migration Services team are introducing an online application system which will reduce fees for all migration skills assessments from 15 January 2018. In preparation for these changes applicants will not be able to apply for a skills assessment from 15 December 2017 until 15 January 2018.

Please update all your clients accordingly.

December 7th,2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship: Australia Employment Requirement

Immigration South Australia has announced to remind applicants about skilled work experience requirements when applying for state nomination.

In order to qualify for state nomination, must meet all nomination requirements relevant to the situation and occupation.

Any Australian skilled work experience claimed by the applicant state nomination application must be paid at the appropriate rate for the skill level required (and meet any minimum award pay rates that apply to that industry).

Immigration SA will not approve any state nomination applications claiming Australian skilled work experience paid below minimum wage rates. Further information outlining minimum wages in Australia can be viewed on the Fair Work website.

The Fair Work Ombudsmen has a letter and factsheet specifically for international students outlining work rights and minimum pay rates in Australia.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australiaunder 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless applicant meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

December 6th,2017:

AACA Skills Assessment Update: Skills Assessment fee made online

AACA has announced that from the 1st of December 2017 AACA only accepts online credit card payments, by VISA or Mastercard.

Applicants who paid their application fee through bank transfer or other payment methods before 1st of December 2017 should send them their application form, supporting documentation and proof of payment within 14 days after the payment was made.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AACA.

December 4th,2017:

DIBP Update: Current Issues

DIBP has announced that some users are experiencing an error message when downloading their health forms. Technical teams are investigating the issue.

Users that encounter the error ‘This service is temporarily unavailable’ should try again later.

Planned System Maintenance

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 30th,2017:

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Update: Fast Track Applications

Engineers Australia has announced that the Fast Track Applications lodged between 3rd December 2017 and 31st January 2018 will be affected by the End of Year shutdown period and may take longer than the advertised 15 working days to reach an assessing case officer. They are expecting to be back on track with our advertised turnaround period from 1st February 2018.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Engineers Australia for skills assessment.

November 30th,2017:

AITSL Skills Assessment Update: Office Closure

AITSL has announced that the Assessment for Migration will be closed from Friday 22 December 2017 and will reopen Tuesday 2 January 2018. This will not impact the timeline for assessments.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AITSL.

November 30th,2017:

DIBP Update: System outage

DIBP has announced that we are currently experiencing intermittent system and network issues at our Sydney Service Centre and Feedback line. As a result we might not be able to take calls at this time. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience.

ImmiAccount is currently unavailable. The following services are impacted:

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Humanitarian Entrants Management System

Employment Suitability Clearance

HAP Lite

Australian Trusted Trader

AMEP Reporting and Management System (ARMS)

Visa pricing estimator

We are working to resolve this issue and will provide an update once services are fully restored.

Planned system maintenance

2 December 2017

From 2 pm to 5 pm AEDT (GMT+11), the following systems will become unavailable:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

My Health Declarations (MHD) service

eMedical

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Australian Trusted Trader.

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

Wednesdays

From 7 am to 7.40 am Canberra time, border.gov.au website might become unavailable.

From 5 am to 8 am Canberra time, the following systems might become unavailable:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator.

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

November 27th,2017:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Removal of few occupations from the Queensland Skilled Occupations LIst

Queensland authorities have udated to QSOL: Finance Manager (for 190 & 489 sub class) and Cafe or Restaurant Manager (for 190 sub class only) are removed from the list. They have stated that due to a high numbers of EOIs, Queensland will not be issuing any more invitations for EOIs lodged on or after 27 November 2017 for the below occupations:

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 27th,2017:

AIM Skills Assessment Update: Office Closure

AIM has announced that due to the holiday season, the Skilled Migration Assessment Unit will close Monday 18 December 2017 and will reopen Monday 8 January 2018. There will be a delay in processing applications.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AIM.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 24th,2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

132211 -Finance Manager- Special Conditions Apply -Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall); -3 years work experience in field; -South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months- CPA / CA / IPA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 22nd,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupation Ceilings

DIBP has updated the occupation ceilings for the year 2017-18.

Please go through the following occupational group ceilings which are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Further the highlighted occupations are further filling faster.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

November 1st,2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

132211 -Finance Manager- Low Availability- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- 3 years work experience in field; -South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months -CPA / CA / IPA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

NOTE: In case of South Australia we can apply under high points category (80 Points) if the occupation is available in Supplementary List. However for few of the occupations the requirement is 85 points. Please go through the supplementary list of South Australia & guide your clients accordingly.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 30th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEDT (GMT+11):

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the October 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

18 October 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

October 11th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 04/10/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 04/10/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations. Also the highlighted occupation groups in yellow are closing further faster.

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the October 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

18 October 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

October 4th,2017:

Vetassess Skills Assessment (General Occupations) Update: UPDATE TO THE ONLINE APPLICATION PORTAL FOR GENERAL PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS

Vetassess has announced that from Tuesday 10 October 2017, a complete set of documents is now required to be uploaded at the time of submitting an application (including evidence of identity, qualifications and employment) before making the skills assessment payment.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess under any General Occupation.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 20/09/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the October 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

4 October 2017

Visa subclass- Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

18 October 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applying for applying for visa under 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

September 27th 2017:

DIBP Update: Occupation Ceilings & Next Invitation Rounds

DIBP has updated the occupation ceilings for the year 2017-18. Please go through the following occupational group ceilings which are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the October 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

4 October 2017

Visa subclass- Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

18 October 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) -1250

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -100

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

16th September 2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 06/09/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 06/09/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the September 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

20 September 2017

Visa subclass Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) 1750

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) 200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

How to filter in SF:

First go through the document that has been shared regarding the Opportunities filtering in SF. If you have already created the view then edit it with the above mentioned occupation or else follow as per the document or below.

The following is the process to pull the clients with any particular occupation, who are impacted due to changes in the lists of any state(s):

Go to Opportunities section of SF

Enter any view name – it’s like a file name

Specify the filter criteria –

If you want view the complete details of your team then click on – All opportunities

if you want to view only your own opportunities then select – My opportunities

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 23/08/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the September 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

6 September 2017

Visa subclass Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) 1750

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) 200

20 September 2017

Visa subclass Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) 1750

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) 200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

September 2nd,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 23rd,2017:

ACT State Sponsorship Update: The ACT Migration Program is now CLOSED TO OVERSEAS APPLICANTS: EFFECTIVE 23 AUGUST 2017

ACT has announced that nomination process is closed for overseas applicants effective 23 August 2017. However, if applicant is living overseas and have close ties (either family or genuine job offer) in Canberra; OR have completed a PhD at an ACT university, can still apply for ACT nomination if meeting the criteria.

Please note that if the applicant has already submitted an application and paid the service fee before 23 August 2017, the application will be processed in queue order.

CANBERRA RESIDENTS – if applicant is living in Canberra, can apply for ACT 190 nomination as soon as he/she is meeting the nomination criteria.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

August 22nd,2017:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Temporary Suspension of few occupations for sponsorship

BSMQ authorities have announced that Queensland temporarily suspends nominations for some skilled occupations

Please note that due to high numbers of applications for the occupations listed below, BSMQ has suspended any further visa applications for these occupations until further notice.

221111 Accountant (general)

261311 Analyst Programmer

263111 Computer Network & systems Engineer

262111 Database Administrator

261312 Developer Programmer

261111 ICT Business Analyst

313112 ICT Customer Support Officer

263211 ICT Quality Assurance Engineer

262112 ICT Security Specialist

263212 ICT Support Engineer

263213 ICT Systems Test Engineer

261313 Software Engineer

261314 Software Tester

262113 systems Administrator

261112 Systems Analyst

313113 Web Administrator

312111 Architectural Draftsperson

611211 Insurance Agent

232511 Interior Designer

221112 Management Acct

233512 Mechanical Engineer

225311 Public Relations Professional

251511 Hospital Pharmacists

251513 Retail Pharmacist

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 21st,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 21st,2017:

TRA Skills Assessment Update: Planned outage for TRA Online Portal

The Department of Education and Training will be undertaking planned maintenance on its IT network between 3 pm Saturday 19 August 2017 and 12 pm Sunday 20 August 2017. During this time the TRA online portal will be unavailable.

Normal service will resume after this period. This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with TRA.

August 17th,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupation Ceilings & Next Invitation Rounds

DIBP has updated the occupation ceilings for the year 2017-18. Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 17th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 09/08/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 09/08/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the August 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

23 August 2017

Visa subclass -Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189)- 1000

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)-200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa under 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

Engineers Australia has announced from the 1st of November 2017, Engineers Australia will accept the Pearson’s Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).

The minimum acceptable score is 50 in each of the 4 modules of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

NOTE: The test result form must be less than 2 years old at the time of lodgement of the assessment application.

Another Signatory of Washington Accord:

Engineers Australia has announced that Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) became a full signatory of the Washington accord on the 21st June 2017.

Holders of accredited qualifications from Pakistan completed in or after 2017 will be eligible for Membership of Engineers Australia as well as Migration Skills Assessment via the accredited qualifications pathways.

For the qualification to be recognised as accredited under the Washington Accord, it needs to be listed on the list of Washington Accord accredited qualifications available on the PEC website and be completed in or after 2017.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skill assessment with Engineers Australia.

August 16th,2017:

DIBP Update: Dandenong, Victoria visa office to close

DIBP has announced that the Dandenong Regional Office at 76 Thomas St, Victoria, is closing soon ahead of the building lease expiry. The office will cease serving the public from 4 pm, Thursday 31 August 2017.

They stated that their improved website has new features and information that make their visa services easier to understand and use.

Clients who have been asked to attend an appointment with the Department will be seen at their recently refurbished front office at 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.

This update is applicable for the people who have to visit the Department in above mentioned office.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

August 8th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 26/07/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 26/07/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the August 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

9 August 2017

Visa subclass- Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) – 1000

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)- 200

23 August 2017

Visa subclass -Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189)- 1000

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489)-200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

VETASSESS has announced that their Priority Processing is available only for a new, Full Skills Assessment application for General Professional occupations.

The Priority Processing service provides applicants/agents with the option to fast-track the assessment of their application, for an additional fee. VETASSESS commits to completing the Priority Processing skills assessment within 10 business days for applications that meet the Eligibility Criteria.

The 10 Business Days will commence after:

VETASSESS has confirmed that the application meets the Eligibility Criteria for Priority Processing; and

Fee payment including the appropriate GST (if applicable) is received.

Engineers Australia has announced that all the applicants applying to have their skills assessed by Engineers Australia are required to provide an evidence of their English language competency in their application unless they are eligible for an exemption.

From 1 October 2017, if a suitable English Test result is not provided in the application at the time of lodgement, it will be requested by the assessor.

Failure to provide a suitable English Test Result within the imparted time frame (usually 1 month) will result in the application being closed as unsuccessful.

AITSL has launched a new website on 25 July 2017. They have stated that with this launch Assessment for Migration has improved their web pages and updated their application forms for skills assessment.

The updated forms include information to assist applicants in preparing their application. They have stated new features include refreshed assessment criteria language to improve clarity. Please note thatthere has been NO change to the requirements of criteria.

There are changes for submitting an application:

1. A photograph of the applicant is NO longer required.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with AITSL.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 15th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 5pm until 7pm Saturday 15 July 2017

* midnight until 4am Monday 17 July 2017

* 6:30am until 8am Wednesday 19 July 2017

Recent Changes

DIBP has stated that the department performed a major update to its online application forms on 30 June 2017. Applications that were not submitted by 30 June 2017 have been set to a status of ‘incomplete’ in ImmiAccount as part of the systems maintenance process.

From 1 July 2017, applicants will need to review the answers within their application form to ensure that any updated questions have been answered.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

July 13th,2017:

Queensland State Sponsorship Update: Change in the Occupations List

Queensland authorities have announced that Engineering Technologist (233914) was taken off our Queensland Skilled Occupations Lists (QSOL) on 11 July 2017 – please note they will not be accepting any new EOIs under this occupation from the 12 July 2017 at this stage. They have received a very large number of EOIs for this occupation.

They further stated that they are currently not issuing any more invitations to lodge an application with BSMQ. However, if some of the current invitees do not respond in the requested time frame, they will issue further invitations to some of those in the current queue.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 11th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 5pm until 7pm Saturday 15 July 2017

* midnight until 4am Monday 17 July 2017

Recent Changes

The department performed a major update to its online application forms on 30 June 2017. Applications that were not submitted by 30 June 2017 have been set to a status of ‘incomplete’ in ImmiAccount as part of the systems maintenance process.

From 1 July 2017, applicants will need to review the answers within their application form to ensure that any updated questions have been answered.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Available/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 10th,2017:

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment Update: Systems Maintenance

Engineers Australia has announced that myPortal and associated systems will be unavailable from 7:00pm to 11:00pm, 11 July 2017.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Engineers Australia.

July 6th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 2pm until 5pm Saturday 8 July 2017

* 2pm until 5pm Saturday 15 July 2017

It has stated that the department performed a major update to its online application forms on 30 June 2017. Applications that were not submitted by 30 June 2017 have been set to a status of ‘incomplete’ in ImmiAccount as part of the systems maintenance process.

From 1 July 2017, applicants will need to review the answers within their application form to ensure that any updated questions have been answered.

Applicants are eligible to apply for ACT nomination of a Skilled Nominated (subclass190) visa if occupation is in demand (listed as open on the current ACT Occupation List) and applicant meets the nomination criteria.

Closed Occupations:

Canberra residents: If applicants living in Canberra are eligible to apply for ACT nomination of a closed occupation if they are working in a skilled occupation and meet the nomination criteria.

Overseas residents: Applicants may be eligible to apply for ACT nomination if they have close ties (job offer or close family) in Canberra and meet the nomination criteria.

Please find attached the Skilled Occupations List of ACT.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Applicant, or any of your dependents have not lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months

Achieved at least ‘Proficient English’ in a recognised English language test or hold a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand

Researched the Tasmanian labour market and provide evidence (see Document Checklist) that there are sufficient employment opportunities (at least five and not more than eight opportunities) in your nominated occupation in Tasmania; and that you have:

skills and recent experience relevant to the researched employment opportunities

skills and experience relevant to the Tasmanian economy

access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Tasmania while you seek employment

If the application is one of high calibre, and the Tasmanian Government is satisfied that applicant will be able to secure employment with ease due to your skills and previous work experience applicant may be invited to apply for the Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated visa.

do not have to complete a TradeSet or provide a TradeSet number to VETASSESS

cannot apply for the Optional Skills Assessment Service. Applicants requiring a skills assessment for licensing purposes (i.e. not for migration) should apply to be assessed under the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP).

Cooks and Chefs from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan

VETASSESS also stated that, they can now provide skills assessments for Cooks and Chefs from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan who apply under the 457 skills assessment program.

To participate in a skills assessment, applicants who hold a passport from these countries, will be required to travel to a VETASSESS assessment venue in Dubai or India.

July 4th,2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Release of South Australia Occupations List for 2017-18.

South Australia authorities have released the lists for state sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class. There are two lists – 1) State Nomination Occupations 2) Supplementary Skilled List as earlier. Requirements for state sponsorship are also similar to what they used to be earlier.

State Nomination Occupations List:

If the applicant’s occupation is available with the tag available or low availability in this list we can directly apply for state sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class. There are no additional conditions applicable.

If the occupation is tagged as Special Conditions Apply then applicant has to meet the additional conditions to apply for state sponsorship.

Supplementary Skilled List:

If the applicant’s occupation is listed in this list then the applicant needs to meeting anyone of the below conditions:

An international graduate of South Australia.

Worked in a skilled occupation in South Australia for the last 12 months.

An immediate family member permanently residing in South Australia for 12 months or more.

Have high points – 80 points minimum

The following are the highlights and few popular occupations that are currently listed in State Nomination Occupations List.

NOTE: All the ICT occupations assessed by ACS are restricted only for 489 sub class visa and should have a minimum of 70 points in total

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST (GMT+10):

* 5am until 8am Wednesday 5 July 2017

* 2pm until 5pm Saturday 8 July 2017

They have further stated that the department performed a major update to its online application forms on 30 June 2017. Applications that were not submitted by 30 June 2017 have been set to a status of ‘incomplete’ in ImmiAccount as part of the systems maintenance process.

From 1 July 2017, applicants will need to review the answers within their application form to ensure that any updated questions have been answered.

Applicant, or any of your dependents have not lived in another Australian state or territory within the last twelve months

Achieved at least ‘Proficient English’ in a recognised English language test or hold a passport of the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada or New Zealand

Researched the Tasmanian labour market and provide evidence (see Document Checklist) that there are sufficient employment opportunities (at least five and not more than eight opportunities) in your nominated occupation in Tasmania; and that you have:

skills and recent experience relevant to the researched employment opportunities

skills and experience relevant to the Tasmanian economy

access to sufficient financial assets to fund your migration and settlement in Tasmania while you seek employment

If your application is one of high calibre, and the Tasmanian Government is satisfied that you will be able to secure employment with ease due to your skills and previous work experience you may be invited to apply for the Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated visa.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship under 489 sub class with Tasmania.

July 3rd,2017

DIBP Update: Change in health examinations for non-migrating family members

DIBP has announced that from 01 July 2017, the health requirement for non-migrating family members has changed. Family members who are not applying for the visa (non-migrating family members) are no longer required to undergo a health examination unless requested to do so by the Department.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa under 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

July 3rd,2017

Northern Territory State Sponsorship Update: Change in the application process

Northern Territory has changed the application process for state sponsorship under 190 & 489 sub class, we have to file the online application, the documentation remains the same. Please kindly go through Northern Territory website for further details.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Northern Territory under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 3rd,2017

ACT State Sponsorship Update: Occupations List release date

ACT Authorities have announced that the ACT occupations list for July 2017 will be published on WEDNESDAY 5 JULY 2017. The ACT Migration Program will also re-open to overseas applicants on Wednesday.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

Queensland State Sponsorship has announced that their skilled visa nomination program for subclass 190 and 489 visa is now open. They have stated that new Queensland Skilled Occupation Lists (QSOL) is also now available on their website.

In order to be considered, applicant must submit a new Expression of Interest (EOI). Please make sure you read the information about Queensland skilled visa nomination, in particular:

About state nomination for skilled migrants

Skilled Visa Options

Important information for all applicants

Fees

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Queensland under 190 & 489 sub class.

Please note that the following occupations are removed from the Victoria’s State Sponsorship List with immediate effect.

Chemist – 324211

Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) – 233611

Physicist – 234914

Software and Applications Programmers nec – 261399

Statistician – 224113

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 & 489 sub class.

July 1st,2017:

DIBP Update: Changes to MLTSSL

DIBP has made the following changes to MLTSSL earlier known as SOL.

Occupations removed from the MLTSSL:

Anaesthetist – 253211 – Medical Board of Australia

Production Manager (Mining)** – 133513 – VETASSESS

Psychotherapist – 272314- VETASSESS

Ship’s Engineer** – 231212 – AMSA

Ship’s Master** – 231213 – AMSA

Ship’s Officer**- 231214 – AMSA

Occupations added to the MLTSSL:

ICT Security specialist – 262112 – ACS

Please note that MLTSSL is referred as Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). We need to refer to this list if the applicant is applying under any of the following visa sub classes.

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) – Points-tested stream

Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) – Family nominated

Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream.

The occupation of the applicant should be held in MLTSSL if he/she is applying for any of the above visas.

Occupations completely removed from all the lists:

Occupations entirely removed from the list of eligible skilled occupations on 1 July 2017 are listed below. Nine of these were eligible for 457 and 186 visas on 19 April 2017 (marked by ^). Applicants with the below occupations are no longer eligible for Australia.

Occupation – ANZSCO code

Equipment Hire Manager^ – 149915

Fleet Manager^ – 149411

Picture Framer^ – 394212

Property Manager^ – 612112

Psychotherapist^ – 272314

Real Estate Agent Principal^ – 612113

Real Estate Agent^ – 612114

Real Estate Agent Representative^ – 612115

Ship’s Engineer – 231212

Ship’s Master – 231213

Ship’s Officer – 231214

University Tutor^ – 242112

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying under 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

July 1st,2017:

DIBP Update: Changes in the age requirements for skilled visas

DIBP has announced that from 1 July 2017, visa applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation for the following points-tested skilled visas:

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)

This means any applicant who is 45 years or more will not be eligible for the all the above mentioned visas.

June 30th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 21/06/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 21/06/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations.

NOTE: Fresh occupation ceilings might be released in July 2017 along with the changes if any to MLTSSL.

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the June 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

12 July 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) – 1000

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -200

26 July 2017

Visa subclass-Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) – 1000

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

ACT has announced that ACT Skilled Migration Program reopens to Overseas Applicants on 4 July 2017

The Act Occupation List will be published on 4 July 2017

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with ACT under 190 sub class.

June 28th,2017:

Victoria State Sponsorship Update: Change in the application process for ICT occupations

Victoria authorities have announced that on 1 July 2017, the Victorian Skilled and Business Migration Program is reopening applications for ICT occupations. Please check the full list of the occupations.

It has announced that they are changing their application process for ICT occupations only. To apply for Victorian nomination (in ICT occupations), follow these steps:

2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) in DIBP’s SkillSelect, and indicate your interest for Victorian nomination. You do not need to notify Victoria that you have submitted an EOI. Note that if you already have an EOI in the SkillSelect system (submitted before 1 July 2017), it will be considered for Victorian nomination. You will not need to resubmit it.

3. Regularly check your email (including your junk mail folder) to see if you have been selected by Victoria. There is no set timeframe to expect an invitation after submitting an EOI. Invitations are not guaranteed.If selected, an email invitation to apply for Victorian visa nomination will be sent to your email address used for the EOI.

4. Submit an online application for Victorian visa nomination within 14 days of receiving the invitation. Note that you must be able to demonstrate that you still meet the claims that were in your EOI when you were invited. We recommend that you have all your supporting documents ready before you submit your EOI in SkillSelect, as the 14 days cannot be extended.

5. If you are successfully nominated by the Victorian Government, you will receive a SkillSelect invitation to apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190).

6. Submit a visa application to DIBP within 60 days of being nominated by Victoria.

Selection considerations :

The Victorian Government has announced that it will review and select the top ranking ICT candidates from SkillSelect, who have indicated Victoria as their preferred state. Candidates who are selected to apply are still required to meet Victoria’s minimum eligibility requirements, including demonstrating employability and commitment to Victoria, and are not guaranteed nomination.

If you are not selected by the Victorian Government, you will not receive an email. Your EOI will continue to be considered for as long as it remains in DIBP’s SkillSelect system.

Exemptions from this process:

This application process is for ICT occupations only. However, if you are an ICT applicant and currently hold an offer of employment in Victoria, or meet the streamlined 457 or PhD pathways, you are exempt from this process and can lodge a Victorian visa nomination application without lodging an EOI first.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Victoria under 190 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 21st,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 07/06/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 07/06/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the June 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

21 June 2017 – Today

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) – 1600

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) – 200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

TRA has announced that the Optional Skills Assessment Service will close at midnight on 30 June 2017.

Applicants seeking a skills assessment to access occupational licensing or for employment purposes can be assessed through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP). To be eligible, applicants must be able to travel to Australia or an OSAP nominated country for a skills assessment.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for Optional Skills Assessment Service with TRA.

The Department of Training and Workforce Development has released the updated 2017 Western Australian Skilled Migration occupation list.

Applicant must have an occupation on the WASMOL and have relevant Australian or overseas work experience to be invited to apply for State nomination.

All applicants are required to provide evidence of a minimum one year full-time employment contract for all occupations on the WASMOL.

Updated 2017 Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List

251214-Sonographer – Available

251412-Orthoptist – Available

252711-Audiologist – Available

253111-General Practitioner – Available

253316-Gastroenterologist – Available

253323-Rheumatologist – Available

253411-Psychiatrist – Available

253513-Neurosurgeon – Available

253515-Otorhinolaryngologist – Available

253521-Vascular Surgeon – Available

253913-Obstetrician and Gynaecologist – Available

253918-Radiation Oncologist – Available

254111-Midwife – Available

254413-Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health) – Available

254414-Registered Nurse (Community Health) – Available

254415-Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) – Available

254422-Registered Nurse (Mental Health) – Available

254423-Registered Nurse (Perioperative) – Available

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Western Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June20th2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update: Application System Closure & New List release date

Immigration SA’s has announced that the application system will close at 3pm (ACST) on Thursday 29 June 2017 and will re-open at 12pm (ACST) on Tuesday 4 July 2017.

This closure affects all existing or new applications for Skilled, Employer Sponsored and Business migration.

Skilled Migration

The re-opening of the application system will take place on Tuesday 4 July 2017 and also release the updated South Australia State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) for 2017/18.

DIBP has also advised that the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) will be revised on 1 July 2017. As the STSOL forms the basis for the SNOL, Immigration SA will update it’s list based on the STSOL & will release the new list on 4 July 2017.

Applications submitted before 3pm (ACST) on Thursday 29 June will be assessed according to the current South Australia List, and Immigration SA will try to finalise these applications in SkillSelect so that they are not affected by any subsequent DIBP changes. The ability to do this will depend on volumes or number of applications received and we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to facilitate processing prior to 1 July 2017.

Note: Any Skilled Migration application that has not been submitted before 3pm (ACST) on Thursday 29 June will be deleted from the system and will not be able to be accessed again.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 20th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times AEST:

* 9pm Friday 30 June until 1pm Saturday 1 July 2017

Planned system outage

Wednesdays

From 7 am to 7.40 am Canberra time, border.gov.au website might become unavailable.

From 5 am to 8 am Canberra time, the following systems might become unavailable:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator.

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

Vetassess has announced that following the visa reform changes announced by the Australian Government in April 2017, VETASSESS anticipates further changes on 1 July to the Short-Term Strategic Skills List (STSSL) and Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). They recommend that you take this into consideration when lodging any new applications.

Please note that while VETASSESS continues to receive skills assessment applications, any new application for general professional occupations lodged from now will not be finalised before 1 July 2017.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

June 15th,2017:

DIBP Update: Planned System Maintenance

DIBP has announced that the ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times Canberra time:

* midnight until 4am Monday 19 June 2017

Saturday 17 June to Sunday 18 June

From 2 pm Saturday 17 June – 12 am Sunday 18 June AEST, the following websites will be unavailable:

www.border.gov.au

www.minister.border.gov.au/peterdutton

www.minister.border.gov.au/alexhawke

www.mcasd.gov.au

Note: You will still be able to access ImmiAccount via the following link:https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login.

Wednesdays

From 7 am to 7.40 am Canberra time, border.gov.au website might become unavailable.

From 5 am to 8 am Canberra time, the following systems might become unavailable:

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator.

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 12th,2017:

Assessing Authorities Update: Office Closure on the account of Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday on 12 June 2017

The following assessing authorities have announced :

TRA Update:

The Trades Recognition Australia enquiry line will be unavailable on Monday 12th June 2017 due to the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday.

Normal service will resume at 10:00am on Tuesday 13th June 2017.

Medical Board of Australia update:

All AHPRA offices, with the exception of the Perth and Brisbane offices, will be closed on Monday 12 June 2017 for the Queen’s Birthday public holiday.

Australian Medical Council Limited Update:

The offices of the Australian Medical Council will be closed from 4:30pm AEST on Friday 9 June 2017 and will reopen at 9:00am AEST on Tuesday 13 June 2017. Please note that the candidate call line will close from 4:00pm AEST on Friday 9 June 2017 and will reopen at 10:00am AEST on Tuesday 13 June 2017.

Vetassess Update:

Please note the VETASSESS Melbourne office will be closed for the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday (Monday 12 June 2017). Our Perth, India and China offices will be open as per usual to take your enquiries.

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 24/5/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Invitation rounds will be held twice a month. The maximum numbers of invitations to be issued in the June 2017 invitation rounds are as follows:

7 June 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189)- 1600

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -200

21 June 2017

Visa subclass – Maximum number

Skilled – Independent (subclass 189) – 1600

Skilled – Regional Provisional (subclass 489) -200

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

June 3rd,2017:

New Zealand Update: Changes for residence applications processed in London

From 1 July 2017, Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) residence applications currently processed in London will be processed in Auckland, New Zealand.

Instead of sending your SMC residence application to the London Visa Application Centre (VAC), you should send it directly to one of the following addresses:

By Post:

Immigration New Zealand

PO Box 76895

Manukau City 2241

Auckland, New Zealand

Physical address for courier delivery only:

Immigration New Zealand

Level 3, 20 Amersham way

Manukau 2104

Auckland, New Zealand

If you were invited to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category and your Invitation to Apply letter asked you to send your application to the London VAC, you should send your application to New Zealand if you expect it to arrive on or after 1 July 2017.

They recommend that you use a reputable international mail service when sending us your application and that you make a copy of your application before you send it to us.

Note that you do not need to send originals of your documents – we will accept certified copies of your documents including your passport (copy the biographic data page only).

Applications lodged by a Licensed Immigration Advisor or lawyer after 1 July will be processed at Henderson Area Office in Auckland, New Zealand. Applications received before this date will be processed at London Area Office.

Up until 1 July 2017, you should continue to send your application to the London VAC.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia before it closes.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 30th,2017:

South Australia State Sponsorship Update

South Australia has changed the status of the following occupations :

Current Status of the occupation(s):

132211- Finance Manager- Special Conditions Apply- Proficient English (or Proficient Plus overall);- 3 years work experience in field; -South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months;- CPA / CA / IPA

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia before it closes.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia before it closes.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia.

May 27th,2017:

Vetassess Skills Assessment Update: PLANNED SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

Saturday, 27 May 2017

Vetassess has announced that from 1.00pm to 5.00pm (Melbourne time) VETASSESS systems will be temporarily unavailable for routine system maintenance. During this time, the following systems might become unavailable:

. Online Application Systems

. Online Payment Systems

. Website (vetassess.com.au)

If you receive a ‘Service Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for skills assessment with Vetassess.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia immediately.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 25th,2017:

New Zealand Residence Programme – Investor (Investor 2 category)

Friday, 19 May 2017

A selection of Expressions of Interest (EOI) under the Migrant Investment Category, Investor (Investor 2 category), took place on Friday, 19 May 2017.

11 EOIs were selected from the EOI pool which claimed between 70 and 79 points.

The following table provides an indication of remaining EOIs in the pool after the draw has taken place.

< 60 pts

60-64

65-69

2

3

2

Total number of EOIs remaining in the pool: 7

Please note that all the applications for New Zealand SMC visa should be applied through licensed New Zealand Immigration agents only.

Applicant should be below 45 at the time of invitation. It have been changed from below 50 yrs to below 45 yrs in the current guidelines. This is effective from 1st July 2017, so please have all your client applications filed and invited before this June 2017.

This age limit does not apply to secondary applicants

2) Subclass 189 (Skilled—Independent) visa in the New Zealand stream

The requirements of this visa are as follows-

Applies to all NZ citizens who are residing in Australia and holding a special category visa (subclass 444), a primary applicant should hold this visa.

They have completed at least 5 years continuous period of stay in Australia which should end on or before 19 Feb 2016

Can produce the documents related to their taxable income for at least 4 years , with income not less than 53,900AUD for all years 2013/14,2014/15,2015/16,2016/17 and 51,000AUD for 2012/13 financial years.

Satisfy health and character requirements for Primary and secondary applicants.

Can include secondary applicant anytime before a decision can be made.

The visa application fee has to be paid at two instalments-

First instalment—Visas in the New Zealand stream etc.

1) Base application charge – $720

2) Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is at least 18 – $360

3) Additional applicant charge for an applicant who is less than 18 – $180

Second instalment—Visas in the New Zealand stream etc. to be paid before visa grant

1) Applicant who satisfies the primary criteria – $2,880

2) Applicant who was at least 18 at the time of the application, and satisfies the secondary criteria – $1,440

3) Applicant who was under 18 at the time of the application, and satisfies the secondary criteria-$720

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189 sub class visa.

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless applicant meets the special requirements.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 20th,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupations ceilings update

As per Occupation Ceilings announced by DIBP the Occupations group Accountants (2211), Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (2212), Computer Network Professionals (2631), Other Engineering Professionals (2339) and ICT Business and Systems Analysts (2611), Software and Applications Programmers (2613), Electronics Engineers (2334) and Industrial, Mechanical, Production Engineers (2335) and Telecommunications Engineering Professionals (2633) have reached their ceiling value for this programme year 2016-1017. Applicants will NOT be invited to apply for Skilled Independent visa Subclass 189 or 489 relative sponsored if his/her occupation is one of the following:

Accountants (2211)

221111 Accountant (General)

221112 Management Accountant

221113 Taxation Accountant

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (2212)

221211 Company Secretary

221212 Corporate Treasurer

221213 External Auditor

221214 Internal Auditor

Computer Network Professionals (2631)

263111 Computer Network and Systems Engineer

263112 Network Administrator

263113 Network Analyst

Other Engineering Professionals (2339)

233911 Aeronautical Engineer

233912 Agricultural Engineer

233913 Biomedical Engineer

233914 Engineering Technologist

233915 Environmental Engineer

233916 Naval Architect

233999 Engineering Professionals ne

ICT Business and Systems Analysts (2611)

261111 ICT Business Analyst

261112 Systems Analyst

Software and Applications Programmers (2613)

261311 Analyst Programmer

261312 Developer Programmer

261313 Software Engineer

261399 Software and Applications Programmers nec

Electronics Engineers (2334)

233411 Electronics Engineer

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers (2335)

233511 Industrial Engineer

233512 Mechanical Engineer

233513 Production or Plant Engineer

Telecommunications Engineering Professionals (2633)

263311 Telecommunications Engineer

263312 Telecommunications Network Engineer

May 20th,2017:

Northern Territory State Sponsorship Update: Suspension of offshore General Skilled Migration nominations by the Northern Territory until 1 July 2017

The Northern Territory has announced that they have temporarily suspended nomination applications for Subclass 489 and Subclass 190 visas where the applicants are not in the Northern Territory.

Where applicants are not in the Northern Territory and a Migration NT file number has not been issued (eg BSM2017/XXXX) the applications will not be processed.

They stated that applicants are encouraged to reapply after 1 July 2017.

Applicants in the Northern Territory are unaffected by the suspension.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with Northern Territory under 190 & 489 sub class.

May 20th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 10/5/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 10/5/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

From 7.30 am to 12.30 pm and 3 pm to 4.30 pm Canberra time, the following websites and systems will be unavailable:

www.border.gov.au

www.minister.border.gov.au

www.minister.border.gov.au/alexhawke

www.mcasd.gov.au

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

My Health Declarations (MHD) service

eMedical

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator

Tourist Refund Scheme printing

Australian Trusted Trader

Document Checklist Tool for Student Visas (Subclass 500).

If you receive a ‘System Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 20th,2017:

ANMAC Skills Assessment Update: System maintenance

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) has announced that their online forms for Skilled Migration Assessments will be unavailable on Saturday 20 May 2017 from 1:00am to 3:00am (AEST) due to planned maintenance.

This update is applicable for applicants applying for skills assessment with ANMAC.

May 17th,2017:

DIBP Update: System maintenance and technical issues

Information about our planned system maintenance and technical issues.

Planned system maintenance

Saturday 20 May 2017 – planned systems outage

From 3 pm to 4.30 pm Canberra time, the following websites and systems will be unavailable:

www.border.gov.au

www.minister.border.gov.au

www.mcasd.gov.au

ImmiAccount

eLodgement (Online visa and citizenship applications)

Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO)

My Health Declarations (MHD) service

eMedical

LEGENDcom

Visa Pricing Estimator

Tourist Refund Scheme printing

Australian Trusted Trader

Document Checklist Tool for Student Visas (Subclass 500).

If you receive a ‘System Temporarily Unavailable’ error message during this time, try again after the outage period.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 17th,2017:

DIBP Update: Australian citizen business people will be able to apply online for the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) From 1 July 2017

DIBP has announced that through a single online application for only $200, the ABTC offers bona fide business people a five-year, short stay, multiple-entry authority to the 18 other participating member economies and priority lane access at major airports in all APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) economies.

The ABTC provides significant efficiencies for cardholders and it has been found to greatly reduce the cost of business travel between APEC economies. The card has reduced visa application fees, as well as the time and costs associated with application and immigration processing.

The ABTC gives business people faster and easier entry to economies of the Asia-Pacific region. The ABTC:

identifies your passport details

lists the economies you can enter and stay in (for a period of up to 60 or 90 days, depending on the economy) without separately applying for a visa

provides access to fast-track entry and exit lanes at major airports of participating economies

is valid for three years from the date of issue, or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier.Note: applications lodged on or after 1 September 2015 are to be granted an ABTC valid for five years.

This update is applicable for all the Australia Citizens.

May 17th,2017:

Skillselect Update: Results of invitation round 26/4/2017

Please find attached the reports published for invitation round that took place on 26/4/2017. It gives you the complete picture as to how many invitations have been given and what all states have contributed. Also find attached the current status of the ceilings for all the occupations.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations:

Note: This will not have any impact on state or territory government nominations for subclass 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) (State or Territory nominated) visas. Nominations for these visas will continue as normal.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189, 190 & 489 sub class.

411711 -Community Worker -Low Availability- Competent Plus English (or Proficient overall); 2 years work experience in field; – Provisional 489 visa only; South Australian graduates must be currently working in their field in South Australia for the last 12 months;- VETASSESS

We cannot apply for state sponsorship with South Australia for occupations where special conditions apply unless client meets the special requirements.

Please note that occupations under Medium/Low Availability status can close at any point of time. Please update all your clients and ensure that you file for state sponsorship with South Australia before it closes.

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for state sponsorship with South Australia.

May 13th,2017:

DIBP Update: Current System Issue

DIBP has announced that they are aware some clients may be experiencing intermittent issues accessing ImmiAccount this afternoon. They are working towards resolving the issue as soon as possible. If you are experiencing difficulty accessing ImmiAccount, please try again later.

Planned System Maintenance

ImmiAccount will be unavailable on the following dates/times Canberra time:

* 3pm to 4pm Saturday 20 May 2017

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for visa.

May 13th,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupations ceilings update

As per Occupation Ceilings announced by DIBP the Occupations group Accountants (2211), Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (2212), Computer Network Professionals (2631), Other Engineering Professionals (2339) and ICT Business and Systems Analysts (2611), Software and Applications Programmers (2613), Electronics Engineers (2334) and Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers (2335) have reached their ceiling value for this programme year 2016-1017. Applicants will NOT be invited to apply for Skilled Independent visa Subclass 189 if his/her occupation is one of the following:

Accountants (2211)

221111 Accountant (General)

221112 Management Accountant

221113 Taxation Accountant

Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (2212)

221211 Company Secretary

221212 Corporate Treasurer

221213 External Auditor

221214 Internal Auditor

Computer Network Professionals (2631)

263111 Computer Network and Systems Engineer

263112 Network Administrator

263113 Network Analyst

Other Engineering Professionals (2339)

233911 Aeronautical Engineer

233912 Agricultural Engineer

233913 Biomedical Engineer

233914 Engineering Technologist

233915 Environmental Engineer

233916 Naval Architect

233999 Engineering Professionals ne

ICT Business and Systems Analysts (2611)

261111 ICT Business Analyst

261112 Systems Analyst

Software and Applications Programmers (2613)

261311 Analyst Programmer

261312 Developer Programmer

261313 Software Engineer

261399 Software and Applications Programmers nec

Electronics Engineers (2334)

233411 Electronics Engineer

Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers (2335)

233511 Industrial Engineer

233512 Mechanical Engineer

233513 Production or Plant Engineer

This update is applicable for all the applicants applying for 189 sub class visa.

May 13th,2017:

DIBP Update: Occupation Ceilings Updated

Occupation Ceilings after an invitation round to apply for the Skilled – Independent and Skilled – Regional (Provisional) visa subclasses was conducted on 26 April 2017.

Note: DIBP has not published this time the invitation round results of the invitation round that took place on 26 April 2017. However the occupation ceilings have been updated.

Please find attached the complete list of the Occupations Ceilings as of now.

Please note that the following occupational group ceilings are being reached faster than other occupations: